It’s clear to new Chattanoogans and long-timers alike that a slew of Californians have moved here in recent years, but have they brought Left Coast politics with them? An analysis of voter data by the Chattanooga Times Free Press suggests that, to the contrary, most of them trek right instead of left.
Three quarters of newly arrived Californians have affiliated as Republicans, the analysis shows. That’s a higher percentage than any of the top 10 states from which people moved to live in Hamilton County.
Take Ron and Jan Morales. On the day after Thanksgiving in 2022, they abandoned their lifelong home of California to escape the state’s liberal governance for redder pastures. After four days of driving, with their Samusky dog, Jumbo, in the back seat, they arrived at their destination: Cleveland, Tennessee.
After renting for a few months, the couple settled in East Ridge, paying cash for a house from the more than $700,000 they got from closing on the sale of their San Francisco Bay area home.
The Morales’ home has been known to display Donald Trump campaign signs — one reading “Make America Great Again!” and another “Never Surrender!”