Florida AG Says Americans Are Flocking to State Thanks to Strong Leadership, Tough Stance on Crime

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis listens as Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody speaks during a press conference at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Aug. 18, 2022. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody on Monday said she believes it’s obvious why Americans are flocking to the Sunshine State, pointing to its strong leadership and it being a “government of the people.”

Speaking in an interview with Sean Duffy on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,“ Moody, a Republican, explained that it’s ”not rocket science” why Americans are moving to the state, while touting Florida’s response to a number of key issues.

“I mean, people are watching and they understand that leadership matters. We don’t just watch as things break down or things aren’t going right. We do something about it,” Moody said.

The Republican pointed to calls to defund the police and an increase in crime across multiple U.S. states, explaining that Florida has responded to such issues by “doing something” about them.

“When we saw people not respecting cops and other folks defunding their police, we gave them raises. When we saw a rash of folks rushing into stores and committing mob thefts, we did something about it. We made it easier to prosecute those people,” Moody said.

A midyear comparison survey from the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) published in September showed that violent crime has soared across the United States, up 4 percent in 2022 when compared to the same time period in 2021.

Meanwhile, robberies have jumped by 12 percent in the first six months of this year compared to 2021, and aggravated assaults are up 2.5 percent.

The number of rapes also surged in places like Chicago, Columbus, Fort Worth, Miami, and New York, among others, according to the data.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with his wife Casey DeSantis and children Madison, Mason, and Mamie, waves to the crowd during an election night watch party at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on Nov. 8, 2022. Giorgio Viera/Getty Images

Americans Flock to Florida

Moody on Monday also pointed to recent data from the FBI which she said shows that where funding for police is increased, crime goes down, and when it is decreased, crime goes up.

The attorney general’s comments come as research from Move Buddha published in 2021 showed that Florida had seen a sharp rise in net migration flow in 2021, with more than twice as many people moving into Florida than left the state.

Separate research published by Move Buddha in November show that Florida is rated the ninth most popular state in the United States as of the third quarter of this year with an “in-to-out ratio” of 1.69.

Four Florida cities are among the most popular large cities in the country this year, according to the research: Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Miami.

“We saw other states cramming down on their citizens and taking away their rights. We did something about it. You know, this is a government of the people. They want to make sure those that they elect to office have their backs. And in Florida, we’ve got their backs,” Moody said on Monday.

She added that Florida is a “law and order state” and warned criminals to stay away.

Earlier this month, Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, who won a landslide victory against Democrat Charlie Crist this month to secure a second term, said the state’s implementation of commonsense legislation and strong leadership allows it to serve as a “blueprint for success.”

The Republican cited increased performance of students in K–12 schools, a record budget surplus, and low taxes, among other things, which he said make Florida an attractive and popular state among Americans.