DeSantis Campaign Press Release - ICYMI: Ahead of DeSantis vs Newsom Debate, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's Press Conference with Floridians who Fled from California

"Leaders like Biden and Gavin Newsom may smile. They may tell you everything's okay. They may walk right past problems, like music on a sinking ship. But a true leader, a leader like Ron DeSantis, will tell you what our problems are... and he will set off to fix them."

Tallahassee, FL - Ahead of the DeSantis vs Newsom debate in Alpharetta, Georgia, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody held a press conference with Floridians who fled from California because of Gavin Newsom's failed policies and leadership. The highlights are below.

Watch the full press conference HERE.

Ashley Moody on the contrast between Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom:

I have watched him time and time again, as an attorney general that works closely with him, roll up his sleeves, clears out the rock, fixes problems, fights the false narratives that come. He is fueled by a passion to see progress and do that within his time in office. I have watched this man work tirelessly and get results for our state. And he does this in the face of vitriol personal attacks. He does it with his head down. He is driven, he is determined. And the results and Florida's success shows that. I compare that with the style of leadership of Governor Gavin Newsom. He'll go to a problem and comment that his state looks like a third world country. He will do so with a smile. Extensively pontificating on what the problems are, but yet has somehow been in office and has been able to show no progress, no accomplishments, no results on fixing these problems... Joe Biden, our president, has done everything in his power to turn every state in this nation into Gavin Newsom's California. From energy policies, crime, destruction of the rule of law, he has put gasoline on the fire. Americans are poor, they are less safe. Their interests are put behind the political agendas our enemies, of radicals and criminals. Leaders like Biden and Gavin Newsom may smile. They may tell you everything's okay. They may walk right past problems, like music on a sinking ship. But a true leader, a leader like Ron DeSantis, will tell you what our problems are. He'll tell you what our risks are. He'll tell you what the dangers are...and he will set off to fix them. No matter how hard they are, no matter how difficult they are to talk about.

Ashley Moody on how Ron DeSantis wins the big fights:

I think I have the best job as an attorney general in this nation. I work with a governor who listens targets the problem, digs in and delivers results. He will fix the mess that has been created by President Biden and Gavin Newsom their policies and their misguided approach to governing. He will fight them in fights and he will deliver wins for working families and for our nation.

Floridian Noah Howard on how he moved to Florida because DeSantis backs the blue:

Governor DeSantis had a program where he would give money to law enforcement officers coming from out of state, federal, anywhere and I took it upon myself and me and my wife to take on that challenge. And I came here, I took the course, became a state certified Florida law enforcement officer, and it's been the best decision we've ever made. And Florida is the best. For anybody coming from California, it's just the best decision they can make. We really need a president who will actually support police, though not just talk about it.

Floridian Jay Berman on how he moved to Florida due to California's COVID lockdowns:

_After the virus, California put a lot of my clients and friends out of business. Restaurants closed, the lockouts—it was really terrible. And in 2020, I saw the future in California. So I made the decision to get rid of everything I owned and head east and wound up in Ft. Lauderdale. The difference between California and Florida's two totally different opposite states, two totally different opposite governors. One of the main reasons I moved here was because of Governor DeSantis.

Floridian Julie Gebhards on how she left California to protect her children:

I left California specifically for the prosperity of my family. What my six kids endured in the classroom was indicative of a state in decline. Policies impact everyone's day to day experiences. And the policies in California shaped a culture in schools that was toxic for my children. ...But it was just a sad reality to wake up and realize that they were actively working against us and our values, which were simple. Our values are just to love God, to love family, and to love your country. And my children also found themselves alone, arguing with their lifelong church friends, who had been pulled to the left. They were arguing about white privilege...instead of learning math, they were learning to defend themselves from accusations of unconscious bias. This is a direct result of leftist policies cultivated by Newsom that were shaping the culture there. My kids became increasingly isolated in their convictions and morals. And as a result, California sadly became a place that they wanted to leave. They were begging us to leave because the culture had shifted so far. So we left California and headed for the promised land of Florida. Now, we homeschool our children in Lithia, Florida, and my kids are supported with the policies of our Governor now. We have access to funding for homeschooling so that we can afford opportunities that we would have forfeited if we had stayed in California. You may not know this, but Florida ranks number one in education freedom, because the culture that has been created by our governor puts families first, not the teachers union... I'm here supporting Ron DeSantis for President of the United States because my kid's futures were rescued because he kept Florida open and free_.

Floridian Jean Coulombe on how she left California for her personal safety:

For me personally, it was about my safety. When you go to the store, we would literally watch carts of merchandise walking out of the store. Employees could do nothing about it. You could steal a large amount of money, and nothing happened. They protect who's stealing. The homelessness, the mental issues of not being able to stand in front of a store waiting for it to open—I was afraid. And here, I'm not afraid. I don't go to a store and have things locked behind a counter if I want to get toothpaste or contact solution. Everything there was locked up. It was a big culture shock to be able to go to a store here and feel safe and know if somebody does something wrong, they'll actually be held accountable.

Floridian Steve Grossi on how he moved to Florida because of Newsom's hypocrisy and DeSantis' leadership:

Let's not forget about the time when he told us we couldn't go to church or congregate in large crowds, while he again enjoyed himself maskless again, breaking his own mandates again...you see, Gavin Newsom's administration is built on hypocrisy. It's about do as I say, not as I do. He doesn't set the example. No one was ever free. Not free to make your own decisions for your kids. Not free to make your own medical decisions. Not free to go to church. Not free to congregate with your family. Not free to exercise your Second Amendment rights. Never free. Always under his rule. Then in September of 2021, I wrote a letter to Governor DeSantis telling him who I was, and how I had been watching him fight for God given freedoms for Floridians and how I wanted to move my family to the Free State of Florida and work for him in some capacity...only he can restore our country. Why? Because I've watched him do it time and time again.