Before the DeSantis-Newsom Debate, Let’s Look at Their Economic Records

By Peter Coy

Opinion Writer in the NYT

I’ll be glued to the TV on Thursday for the debate between Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Fox News. (Not a plug.) It will pit a conservative Republican against a liberal Democrat, a one-time outfielder for Yale against a one-time pitcher for Santa Clara University, a fighter against another fighter. As Fox’s Sean Hannity told The Times, DeSantis and Newsom are “two very smart, well-educated, highly opinionated, philosophically different governors” who are “diametrically opposed.”

Still not sure why these two are debating, but bring out the popcorn!

My contribution to the predebate festivities is the following table, which highlights some differences between Florida and California. I expect each governor to pitch his state’s virtues, so it’s good to have some data to put up against their claims. Consider this an economic version of the boxing world’s tale of the tape (while keeping in mind that governors deserve neither all the credit nor all the blame for their states’ economies).

In a nutshell, California has the edge in median incomes, research universities and tech. Florida has cheaper housing, lower taxes, lower unemployment, a growing population and less violent crime. As the table shows, California is more unequal than Florida. While median household incomes in California are nearly a third higher than in Florida, the poverty rate is also higher.

In K-12 education, neither state excels. Forty-one percent of fourth graders in Florida test at or above the proficiency level in math, versus 35 percent nationally. California is below the national average, at 30 percent. By eighth grade the states are equally weak, at 23 percent at or above proficiency in math, below the (disappointing) 26 percent national average. (Continued)