NBC highlights people ‘fleeing’ Florida despite highest-in-nation net migration
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – NBC News is under fire by members of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration for focusing on the “nearly 500,000” that left Florida in 2022-2023, despite total “net migration” statistics handing the Sunshine State the number one spot in the U.S.
“The Sunshine State isn’t always as sunny as it may seem,” NBC’s post said. “Hundreds of thousands of new residents have flocked to Florida with the promise of beautiful weather and no income tax. But nearly 500,000 left in 2022, according to the most recent Census data.”
Notably, NBC did not quantify the exact amount of residents who “flocked” to Florida.
That number is almost a whopping 700,000, which NBC included further down in its report.
“[NBC] told you only half of a statistic to try to take a swipe at Florida (FL’s net in-migration in 2022 led the nation and was record-breaking for the state.),” said Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’ communications director. “And, they chose a few clearly partisan anecdotes to flesh out their story. See how the media works?”
NBC highlighted the story of one Florida resident’s experience with a hurricane, the political environment and the inability to find a doctor to remove a tumor from her liver.
After a year in the Sunshine State, Carter packed her car with whatever belongings she could fit and headed back to her home state of Kansas — selling her Florida home at a $40,000 loss and leaving behind the children and grandchildren she’d moved to be closer to.
“So many people ask, ‘Why would you move back to Kansas?’ I tell them all the same thing — you’ve got to take your vacation goggles off,” Carter said. “For me, it was very falsely promoted. Once living there, I thought, you know, this isn’t all you guys have cracked this up to be, at all.”
NBC News
“FACT CHECK: NBC apparently doesn’t know what ‘net migration’ means,” said Christina Pushaw, a member of DeSantis’ team.
“Great example of media bias on full display — but on the bright side, Florida will be just fine if NBC liberals decide not to move here,” Pushaw added.
Pushaw further argued that many people consider moving to Florida because of a positive vacation experience, only to be surprised when the realities of everyday life sets in, such as natural disasters, climate and weather patterns, and other costs.
“Reminds me of people who go on vacation for a week in Hawaii then decide to move there because they loved their vacation so much…. Without accounting for the reality that life is not a vacation most of the time, no matter where you live,” she said.
