Governor Ron DeSantis alleged that the father-in-law of California Governor Gavin Newsom migrated to Florida to elude the burden of high taxes and soaring living costs in California.

What Happened: In a debate with Newsom on Fox News, DeSantis claimed to have met an ex-Californian now residing in Florida, who applauded Florida’s governance and budget.

The person turned out to be Newsom’s father-in-law, DeSantis said.

"I was talking to a fella who had made the move to Florida from California and he was telling me about how much better governed it is, better budget, all this stuff," DeSantis said.

"And then he said, ‘Oh and I'm Gavin Newsom's father-in-law.' So we count Gavin's father-in-law as one of the people who have moved from California to Florida."

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Why It Matters: This discussion was part of a broader debate on the growing trend of Californians moving to states with more favorable tax regimes, such as Texas and Florida. Newsom responded by attacking DeSantis’s positions on various social issues, including abortion rights. He also accused DeSantis, seen as a potential 2024 Republican nominee, of pandering to his party’s extreme views on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The debate, dubbed the "Great Red vs. Blue State Debate," was aired live on Fox News and moderated by its host Sean Hannity.

This came after Newsom took a jibe at DeSantis during the show, asserting that neither of them would secure their respective party's presidential nomination in 2024. "There are profound differences tonight, and I look forward to engaging, but there's one thing in closing that we have in common, is neither of us will be the nominee for our party in 2024," said Newsom.

Photo Courtesy: Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons and Artem Furman on Shutterstock

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