Even the leading Democrat running to save California might have left it

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Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) boasting, California under his tenure has become a state that is too burdensome for many to live in. That includes middle- and lower-class families, businesses, and, allegedly, one of the top candidates for governor.

California’s population decline has been one of the most notable lingering stories from the COVID-19 pandemic. From April 2020 to July 2022, the state lost a net total of some 700,000 people. The 2020 Census put California’s population at 39.5 million, and that number has trickled down to 39.35 million, according to census data, a decline of 150,000 people. The only reason that the number isn’t higher is that the state