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CNBC ranks Ten GOP States Low; DeSantis Dismisses, Newsom Mocked

7/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

CNBC’s 2026 Quality of Life ranking placed ten Republican-led states in the low-scoring group, with Tennessee worst at 64 of 290, citing violent crime, a drug-death rate, and restrictive transgender and abortion policies.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the list “nonsense” and pointed to Tennessee’s 0.9 percent population increase, above the 0.5 percent growth.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the results show “California Derangement Syndrome” because all ten states are Republican-led.

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Story summary

CNBC’s 2026 Quality of Life ranking placed ten Republican-led states in the low-scoring group, with Tennessee worst at 64 of 290, citing violent crime, a drug-death rate, and restrictive transgender and abortion policies.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the list “nonsense” and pointed to Tennessee’s 0.9 percent population increase, above the 0.5 percent growth.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the results show “California Derangement Syndrome” because all ten states are Republican-led.