After California lost population for the first time in its history, the nation's most populous state lost a congressional seat following the 2020 census. Now, Decision Desk predicts, the state is predicted to lose as many as five more congressional districts for 2030 if current population trends continue.
California is now predicted to lose 5 congressional districts in the 2030 reapportionment cycle. What happened to its historically fast growing population?
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) September 19, 2023
Get insight into California’s trends over the years: https://t.co/bZlgtG1YkO pic.twitter.com/gNyhisXlnp
The video was first released back in April, but has since been reposted. That post gained considerably more attention than is typical for Decision Desk's account, as people chimed in to respond to the question posed of "What happened to [California's] historically fast growing population?"
The video linked to in the post provides something of an overview on California demographics, specifically by race and education. It also speaks to Proposition 20, which passed in 2010, dictating that congressional and legislative maps are drawn by an independent commission. While the maps favor Democrats, the narrator says "the map is far from a Democratic gerrymander, or at least one the Democratic-controlled legislature would have drawn."
Further, while the video mentions how "population has slowed or reversed," there's no discussion as to why that is. Others were all too happy to weigh in, though, speaking to the liberal wasteland California has become in recent years under that Democratic-control.
They fled California for @RonDeSantis' Florida.
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) September 19, 2023
Decline is a choice. https://t.co/1XG6oN024P
I can't believe paying outrageous taxes to a government that wants to take away your kids and make live as uncomfortable and unpleasant as possible isn't more appealing to people. https://t.co/S5XDIGbwM7
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 19, 2023
No one wants to live in a super woke state with high taxes, crime, and radical schools.
— Wade Miller (@WadeMiller_USMC) September 19, 2023
People are leaving California because of the terrible policies of Gavin Newsom and the California Democratic Party Supermajority. https://t.co/jT8a8l4lMP
— Libertarian Party of California (@LPofCal) September 19, 2023
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 19, 2023
In 2022, data from the census pointed to California losing more residents than any other states, due to "domestic outmigration," as residents moved to other states.
The state has high taxes, including with exit taxes; is considered one of the very worst to do business in; has criminals and the homeless run rampant, leading to the shuttering of businesses in major cities there; and punishes parents who don't want their children exposed to a radical transgender agenda. Meanwhile, Newsom has been preoccupied with going after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), whose state has the fastest-growing population in the country.
Last November's midterm elections were something of a disappointed to Republicans, given that the red wave never materialized as expected. While Republicans do control the House, it's by a more narrow majority than expected, and many of the wins came down to California, which took days or even weeks to call the races.