Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) lambasted Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) over family members who fled California for Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic Thursday night. The comments were part of the governor repeatedly slamming Newsom over the loss of Golden State residents who left for other states in 2021 and 2022.

"I was talking to a fella who had made the move from California to Florida," DeSantis said during his one-on-one debate with Newsom. "He was telling me that Florida’s much better governed, safer, better budget, lower taxes. Then he paused and said, ‘By the way, I’m Gavin Newsom’s father-in-law.’"

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"So we count Gavin's in-laws as some of the people that have fled California and come to the state of Florida," DeSantis continued.

California's population has declined for three years in a row, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. On Jan. 1, 2022, the state's population was 39,078,674, but a year later, the population was only 38,940,231, a net loss of 138,443 people, or 0.4%. Since 2020, the population has decreased by 597,992 people, per state data.

Fox News reported in September 2022 that Kenneth and Judith Siebel, the parents of Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel, had moved to the Sunshine State from the Golden State, according to records. The Siebels specifically became Florida residents in 2020 after purchasing a $3.3 million Naples home in March of that year, records show.

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The two governors are facing off in a non-Republican National Committee debate hosted by Fox News host Sean Hannity in Alpharetta, Georgia. The chief topics during the debate included immigration, crime, and abortion.

Jack Birle contributed to this report.