Leftists love to claim the high ground. Instead of arguing, (an exercise in futility most of the time), I like to ask them simple questions. When one of them criticizes conservative positions on economics, law enforcement or border security, I ask them why it is that so many people are fleeing blue cities and states. After all, if Democrat policies are superior, shouldn't they be producing utopias wherever they’re implemented?
As it turns out, Americans are voting with their feet. They're fleeing blue cities and states for the welcoming shores of Republican-governed red states. This is not a coincidence of geography, but a resounding endorsement of conservative principles: lower taxes, limited government, economic freedom, and law-and-order policies. Blue states are hemorrhaging residents and wealth. Instead of the progressive utopia promised by leftist governance, these states are trapped in a "doom loop" of decline driven by high taxes, regulatory overreach, and social chaos. The data is indisputable -- 13 million Americans have chosen red states over blue ones for the last 30 years. This trend highlights the superiority of Republican stewardship for fostering prosperity and personal liberty.
The magnitude of this exodus is staggering. From 1990 to 2021, blue bastions like California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York have lost a net 13 million residents through domestic migration. This averages over 433,000 people per year. California and New York each shed over 4.5 million people, Illinois lost more than 2 million, New Jersey 1 million, and even Massachusetts saw 800,000 depart, including 50,000 in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns. These aren't just numbers; they're families, entrepreneurs, and workers voting against the leftist policies that have rendered their home states unaffordable and unsafe.
One study, using IRS and Census data, revealed red states like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah receiving the majority of blue state refugees. Florida captured over $36 billion in adjusted gross income in a single year, with Texas gaining $12 billion. Meanwhile, California lost nearly $25 billion, New York over $20 billion. One analysis showed red states accounting for 58% of interstate moves, with seven of the top 10 destinations voting Republican in 2024.
What's behind this mass relocation? The tangible failures of leftist governance versus the proven successes of conservative leadership. Under Democrat rule, blue states impose crushing taxes, crippling regulations, and soft-on-crime stances that foster urban decay. High prices for housing, energy, and daily living -- exacerbated by green mandates and sanctuary-city policies -- have bred homelessness, unemployment, and poverty. While their states circle the drain, governors like Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Phil Murphy (D-NJ) vow to "fight to the death" against federal conservativism. Newsome's plea for $25 million to battle the Trump agenda underscores the entitlement mindset, prioritizing ideological crusades over constituent needs. This resistance invites a vicious cycle: shrinking tax bases demand higher subsidies, eroding vitality and dooming future generations to decline.
In contrast, red states embody the conservative ethos of self-reliance and opportunity. Florida and Texas have no state income tax. Coupled with pro-business deregulation, this has unleashed economic booms. Tough-on-crime laws, school choice reforms, and strict immigration enforcement have created safer, more vibrant communities. As red states gain both people and wealth, they are reshaping America's political map -- bolstering congressional seats and electoral votes for the GOP.
Interestingly, only one blue state -- Colorado -- cracks the list of 2025's top 10 migration destinations. This anomaly is due to Governor Jared Polis's rare progressive concessions like income tax cuts and housing initiatives, which mimic conservative fiscal restraint. The other nine -- Texas, Florida, North & South Carolina, Arizona, Indiana, Tennessee, and Oklahoma -- all dominate due to affordability and freedom. This exception proves the rule: when blue states adopt red policies, they staunch the bleed; otherwise, they wither.
The critics might claim that migration stems from climate or jobs, not politics. But the evidence disputes that: people aren't flocking en masse to blue states, they're moving to red states that prioritize individual agency over government hand-outs. Even leftists are fleeing, suggesting a bipartisan rejection of failed progressivism. Hopefully they'll leave their leftist ideologies at home.
On a side note, the U-Haul website lists the cost of renting a 10-foot truck to move from San Francisco to Houston at $2,086. To rent the same truck to move from Houston to San Francisco is $1,695.
In sum, America's great migration is a verdict on governance. Republican-led states deliver the American Dream -- secure borders, thriving economies, higher quality of life and unapologetic liberty. Democrat domains deliver despair. This mass movement inches the nation towards the conservative renewal it so desperately needs. The ballot box follows the moving van; let the exodus be our guide.
Image: AT via Magic Studio