CNN’s Scott Jennings broke down why so many former Californians are leaving the state for redder pastures.
During a recent broadcast, Jennings noted that the Golden State “has always been sort of the place where things happen first, politically, culturally, and demographically.”
He stated that “the policies that get cooked up in California tend to migrate east,” which means America should look to California to find out what policy fights the rest of the nation might be having in the future.
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins asked whether Jennings thinks this is a positive or negative.
“It depends on who you ask,” Jennings answered. “If you’re a conservative, you look at California and say, ‘This is a warning.’ High taxes, overregulation, crime, homelessness—it’s a preview of what happens when progressivism goes unchecked. But if you’re on the left, it’s more like a model. It’s a place where they’ve had the power to try out their ideas without much opposition.”
Collins asked whether Jennings believes the trend of people fleeing California is “overblown” or “a real trend.”
“No, it’s real. People are leaving in droves, especially middle-class families. They’re going to places like Texas, Florida, Tennessee—states that are more business-friendly, lower taxes, more freedom,” Jennings replied. “California’s population declined for the first time in its history. That’s a big deal. And it tells you that the policies aren’t working for everyone.”
The anchor then pointed out that “California is still a major economic powerhouse,” to which Jennings responded, “Sure, if you’re in tech or Hollywood or have the right connections, you’re doing fine. But if you’re a working-class person trying to get by, the cost of living is brutal. Gas prices, housing costs, taxes—it adds up. So people vote with their feet.
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Jennings further explained how California’s politics are influencing Democrats on a national level.
“Just look at Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, even the policies being floated in D.C.—they all have that California flavor,” the commentator pointed out. “Whether it’s environmental regulations, labor rules, or social policies, you can trace a lot of it back to California. The danger, in my view, is that these ideas get tried at the national level without considering how they actually play out in real life.”
Jennings concluded by sending a message to Republican voters: “Don’t let your state become California. It’s a useful foil. You can point to California and say, “This is what happens when Democrats run everything for too long.” There’s no balance, no accountability. And you see the consequences.”
CNN's Scott Jennings slams California's government, explains why people are leaving the state.
— Jeff Charles, The Nullifier🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) June 12, 2025
"People are leaving in droves, especially middle-class families. They’re going to places like Texas, Florida, Tennessee—states that are more business-friendly, lower taxes, more… pic.twitter.com/6b7Vm8Pqpz
Jennings is right about the exodus from California. Between 2010 and 2023, about 9.2 million people moved out of the state, according to the US Census Bureau. This represents about 192,000 recovering Californians per year. In fact, I was one of them. I moved to Austin, Texas, in 2012 before coming to Louisiana last year.
TESTIMONIAL: SHE IS LEAVING FOR A RED STATE.
— 🦅 Eagle Wings 🦅 (@CRRJA5) May 25, 2025
Did You Know California Suffers Exodus As Over 200,000 Americans Leave State in One Year?
The California population drain, according to research compiled by the Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), is mainly due to… pic.twitter.com/TEPE7Ke7OH
The reasons for the move are multifaceted. Affordable housing, which seems not to exist in California unless you are Bill Gates, is a dominant factor. The median average for home prices in the state soared over $712,000 in 202. Other issues include taxes and a cost of living so high we would need a Tesla rocket to reach them.
It’s a shame, really. California is a beautiful state, and finding a good fish taco in the South is about as easy as scaling Mt. Everest with a toothpick. But as Jennings suggested, this is what happen with big-government progressives reign supreme.
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