Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) fired back at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after he criticized her and her state’s record on crime.
After Sanders delivered her rebuttal to the State of the Union address, Newsom tweeted, “While [Sarah Huckabee] touts public safety, here is what she skips over: Arkansas has the one of the highest murder rates in the nation.”
While @SarahHuckabee touts public safety, here is what she skips over:
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 8, 2023
Arkansas has the one of the highest murder rates in the nation.
During an appearance on Fox News Thursday night, host Sean Hannity noted Newsom posted the tweet “ignoring the fact” Sanders had only been in office for 31 days.
“By comparison, when you look at Gavin Newsom’s time in public office, his time as San Francisco mayor, lieutenant governor, now governor, Newsom has spent nearly 7,000 days driving California straight into the ground,” Hannity said.
He added, “Crime and homelessness are now through the roof. The drug problem in California is out of control. Reports of school children being forced to walk through open-air drug dens. California ranked dead last again in the U-haul index.”
The U-Haul Growth Index is “compiled according to the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks arriving in a state or city, versus departing from that state or city, in a calendar year,” according to U-Haul’s website.
When asked for her reaction, Sanders told the host Newsom’s attacks are a sign that she is doing something right.
Watch Sanders’ remarks below:
“Let’s not forget, he literally had to run ads begging people to stay in California not that long ago. And every single town I go to in Arkansas, I meet someone who has moved from California,” Sanders said.
She continued, “My message to them is we’re glad you’re here but don’t forget why you left California. We are proud of our state and our gates are open for people to come.”
Sanders received significant praise for her rebuttal taking aim at the “left wing culture war,” as IJR reported.
“The Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day,” Sanders said following the president’s speech.
The governor claimed “most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace. But, we are under attack in a left wing culture war we didn’t start, and never wanted to fight. Every day we are told we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols.”
Sanders continued, “That’s not normal. It’s crazy, and it’s wrong.”