Scott Jennings Expertly Lays Out Why People are Fleeing California

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.”

This from townhall.com.

He stated “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.

Jennings stated:

It depends on who you ask.

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.”

Jennings replied:

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.

Further:

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 “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.

Jennings further explained how California’s politics are influencing the Left on a national level:

[T]he policies being floated in D.C. all have that California flavor.

Further:

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.

Jennings is right about the exodus from California. Between 2010 and 2023, approximately 9.2 million people moved out of the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This represents about 192,000 recovering Californians per year.

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 2024. Other issues include taxes and a high cost of living.

It’s a shame, really. California is a beautiful state. But as Jennings suggested, this is what happens when big-government progressives reign supreme.