California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed frustration on Sunday over the escalating cost of living in the state.
While speaking from Nashville ahead of his memoir release, “Youth in a Hurry,” he responded to CNN anchor Dana Bash’s pointed inquiries about families relocating to Tennessee.
Bash highlighted that California’s cost of living is the highest in the nation, exceeding the national average by 11%. She mentioned that families are departing their homes due to unaffordable rent and housing expenses.
In response, Newsom pointed to a different metric, claiming California has progressed from being the world’s sixth-largest economy to the fourth largest.
“Hundreds of thousands of people have chosen to move to California in recent years,” he stated. “We’re at the forefront of major industries like AI, quantum technology, and robotics, as well as agriculture.”
Bash countered with a personal touch: “People are still grappling with buying basic necessities, just like your mother did.”
While California has seen a modest population recovery, reaching approximately 40 million residents for the third consecutive year, the long-term situation remains complex. Over the last 15 years, nearly 10 million people have left the state, while just over 7 million have moved in, leading to a net loss of about 3 million people since 2010.
Despite some recovery, many families continue to struggle, with current prices in California around 11% higher than the national average, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Housing costs surpass national figures by 53%, and utility costs are 60% higher, second only to Hawaii.
Bash’s remarks regarding Newsom’s mother followed his account of growing up in financial hardship, illustrating the challenges of his childhood.
In his memoir, he paints a picture of his younger self delivering newspapers and working as a busboy while his newly divorced mother worked to support the family.
However, critics like Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton expressed skepticism about Newsom’s narrative of poverty, noting that his family was politically connected, which complicates the alignment of his story with that of typical Californians.
Hilton mentioned that Newsom’s grandfather had a role in supporting past governors and referred to political and financial ties between the Newsom and Brown families, including connections to Nancy Pelosi through family marriage.
