Kevin Sorbo Says He 'Escaped' California for Florida in Fiery Rant About 'Worst' Governor Gavin Newsom 

Actor Kevin Sorbo said he recently relocated from California to Florida as an "escape," blasting Gov. Gavin Newsom and cultural shifts as his primary reasons for leaving the Golden State.

The right-wing actor, whose last major commercial hit in terms of mainstream box-office success was the faith-based film God's Not Dead in 2014, told Sky News Australia he went from what he considers the "worst governor," Newsom, to the "best governor," Ron DeSantis, whose term ends in January 2027.

"But I do feel a shift. I mean, when I moved, I escaped California seven years ago and live in the free state of Florida here. I went from the worst governor, from Gavin Newsom, to the best governor, Ron DeSantis," Sorbo said during a fiery rant.

DeSantis, who has spent much of his second term as governor fighting losing culture wars on the Florida taxpayers' dime, has faced criticism over the state's property insurance crisis, in which over 840,000 residents rely on a state-backed insurer of last resort and have limited legal recourse.

Critics also cite DeSantis' failure to manage the housing affordability crisis, with legislation prioritizing developer interests over renters, along with controversial political actions regarding migrant transport, educational changes at Florida public universities, where he has banned sociology as a major and delays in calling special elections.

DeSantis’ signature Stop W.O.K.E. Act, officially and ironically also known the "Individual Freedom" act, limits how race, systemic racism and privilege can be taught in schools and workplaces. He is also known for book bans and his controversial "Don't Say Gay" law, known as the "Parental Rights in Education Act," which originally prohibited "classroom instruction" on sexual orientation or gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade.

Sorbo blasted Newsom's leadership, falsely claiming the state has seen "negative growth" over the last decade and that more people are moving out than moving in.

"They've had negative, negative growth in that state for the last 10 years. More people have moved out than have moved in. … I got so many friends who have left that state, including myself, to go to Texas, go to Tennessee, or Florida. These are the states that people are moving to. What's interesting is all the top five blue states that people have moved out, they're the top five blue states that have lost more people. All those people have moved to red states," he said.

California's population has stabilized and begun to grow again, with approximately 39.5 million residents as of early 2025. After pandemic-era declines, the state saw a modest increase of about 19,200 people in 2025, driven by international immigration and natural growth, though domestic out-migration continues, according to data from the California Department of Finance.

The Hercules actor also failed to acknowledge that net migration in Florida has plummeted, as some reports indicate a record number of residents are leaving because they can't afford to live there, reversing the intense pandemic-era surge.

High housing costs, rising insurance premiums, and environmental factors are driving this shift, resulting in a near-even split of people moving in versus moving out of the Sunshine State as of late 2024.

While Sorbo mentioned he "escaped" California roughly seven years ago, he continues to use his move as a point of political commentary. He recently invested in a new home in the Forté Luxe waterfront community in Jupiter, Fla., in Palm Beach County.

Sorbo's comments often align with his self-identification as a "cancel culture victim," claiming his conservative and Christian beliefs led to him being sidelined in Hollywood.

Sorbo is part of a trend of has-been MAGA conservative figures publicly announcing their departure from California for "red states" like Florida, Texas, or Tennessee, including Scott Baio, Jillian Michaels and Antonio Sabato, Jr.

"Because they hate the truth, and they hate anybody who's a Christian in Hollywood, anybody who is a conservative. So, I'm like a double leper to them. I'm, like, kryptonite or something,” he whined to Fox News.