Rep. Kevin Kiley sharply criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s State of the State address, arguing that while the governor claimed California leads the nation, the state is in fact leading in a wide range of negative economic and social indicators.

Kiley responded after Newsom declared during his address that California is a national leader, a claim Kiley said residents recognize for all the wrong reasons.

“Today, the governor of my state, Gavin Newsom, gave his State of the State address in which he declared that California leads the nation. Now the governor isn’t wrong, as the residents of our state know all too well, California does lead the nation,” Kiley said.

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Kiley then listed what he described as the areas in which California currently ranks at the top nationwide.

“California leads the nation in fraud, California leads the nation in unemployment. California leads the nation in homelessness. California leads the nation in poverty. California leads the nation in literacy. California leads the nation in gas prices. California leads the nation in electricity prices. California leads the nation in housing prices. California leads the nation in debt and deficits,” he said.

Kiley also pointed to recent moving data as evidence that residents are continuing to leave the state.

“And just this week, we learned that for the sixth straight year, California leads the nation in outbound U haul rentals,” he said.

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Turning Point USA contributor Jobob reacted to Kiley’s remarks by adding his own criticism, focusing on visible street conditions tied to the state’s homelessness crisis.

“Congressman Kiley hit it right on the head there. The only thing he missed is California also leads the nation in FPM, also known as feces per mile, strewed upon the streets because we just let homeless people do that. I guess, for some reason,” Jobob said.

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The exchange added to ongoing criticism of Newsom’s leadership as California continues to grapple with high living costs, rising homelessness, and population decline, issues that critics say stand in sharp contrast to the governor’s portrayal of the state’s performance.

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