The biggest Blue cities you know, like Chicago, are bleeding out, and seeing a massive exodus. Businesses in Chicago are upset over the new mayor's proposed tax hikes, and residents just feel not listened to.
Economist Vance Ginn says none of this comes as a surprise.
"People are just scared of living in these places. If you cannot find a job, and you have the concern about crime...you are going to leave," he says. "The people who leave first are ones with higher income. So, what is left behind is people with low incomes...and it is going to be a touhg situation for many of these blue cities going forward."
For example, New York City lost half a million people from 2020 into 2022. Other cities seeing major downticks have been Los Angeles and San Francisco. Most of the transplants are packing their bags and heading to Texas, of course.
In the Lone Star State, we have our Republican politics, but we also have major cities run by Democrat Mayors. Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, all are headed by big blue big wigs. Yet, we are still seeing a consistent rise in population. What makes us so special?
"The laws set in place by the state, I think that is what is really holding blue cities in Texas, like Houston and Austin, together," he says. "I think a lot of it is built on state level policy...because local policies like cutting funding to the police...those are not supportive of prosperity."
Ginn does say, however, that the exodus problems might reach the blue cities in red states sooner rather than later.
Houston has its own mayoral race upcoming in November. A Democrat has been Houston mayor for the last 41 years and counting. That will likely remain the case for the foreseeable future, too.
"The dynamics and political framework that is set up already for Democrats to win in these blue cities...that is a big uphill battle for a Republican to take on," he says.
The last Republican mayor of Houston was Jim McConn form 1978 to 1982.
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