Democrats have spent years attacking Florida's conservative policies.
But the evidence keeps proving them wrong.
And a top Florida business leader revealed one truth about the state that will make Democrats rage.
Florida's economy leaves blue states in the dust
Florida Council of 100 President and CEO Mike Simas just confirmed what Democrats refuse to admit – their economic policies are failures compared to Florida's free-market approach.
In an interview on Florida's Voice Radio, Simas laid out the numbers that have leftist governors like Gavin Newsom squirming in their seats.
Florida's economy now tops $1.7 trillion, bigger than Spain's entire GDP.
The state operates on less than half the budget of New York while serving millions more people.¹
And Florida earned a AAA credit rating while maintaining the lowest taxes in decades.
"Governor DeSantis has created a fiscal environment that allows businesses to deploy capital here with certainty," Simas has said.² "Taxes aren't going up, they're going down, and that creates confidence."³
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/1986931418430157236?s=20
Democrats spent years predicting Florida would collapse under Republican leadership.
CNN talking heads claimed Ron DeSantis was "destroying" the state with his policies.
The New York Times ran countless articles warning businesses to stay away from Florida's "extreme" conservative government.
They were dead wrong about everything.
The secret weapon Democrats can't replicate
Simas revealed why Florida keeps winning – the state gets out of businesses' way instead of strangling them with regulations.
"If you've got a good idea and it's going to do well in the economy, you can let it run," Simas has stated.⁴ "You play by the rules in Florida, and we're going to let you run."⁵
That's the exact opposite of how Democrat-run states operate.
California buries entrepreneurs under mountains of regulations, permits, and fees before they can even open their doors.
New York treats business owners like criminals who need constant government supervision.
https://twitter.com/SelectFLA/status/1986417432349540375?s=20
Illinois taxes companies into bankruptcy while wondering why they keep fleeing to red states.
Florida took a different path – trust the private sector, keep taxes low, and watch prosperity explode.
The Florida Council of 100, founded in 1961, brings together 200 of the state's top business leaders to advise policymakers on growth strategies.
These aren't political hacks pushing ideology.
They're CEOs, entrepreneurs, and executives who actually create jobs and understand how economies work.
"We were established to help leaders in Tallahassee think about private-sector solutions to the state's big challenges," Simas has explained.⁶ "Our members use their time not to think about their own businesses, but how we're making this state better for the next generation."⁷
Florida's success drives Democrats crazy
Democrats hate admitting this, but Florida's success comes from doing the opposite of everything they believe.
No income tax? Check.
Light regulation? Check.
Respect for businesses instead of treating them as enemies? Check.
https://twitter.com/ilpoliski/status/1980944722781757635?s=20
The results speak for themselves – hundreds of thousands of new businesses launched in Florida since the pandemic, many in high-wage industries like aerospace, medical technology, and financial services.⁸
"We've got the No. 1 higher education system in the country for 10 years running, so we've got the talent pipeline to fuel this growth," Simas has noted.⁹
Florida invested in education while Democrats turned their schools into woke indoctrination centers.
The state built innovation hubs in multiple regions instead of concentrating everything in one overpriced coastal city.
And Florida welcomed entrepreneurs from around the world instead of demonizing successful people as greedy villains.
"We're running an accelerator in Southeast Florida around financial services and fintech," Simas has revealed.¹⁰ "Companies from around the world are already saying they want to move their headquarters here."¹¹
Democrats keep predicting Florida's economy will implode any day now.
They've been wrong for years and they'll keep being wrong because they fundamentally misunderstand how prosperity actually works.
You can't tax and regulate your way to economic growth.
Florida proved the conservative model works while blue states keep circling the drain.
¹ Michael Simas, Interview on Florida's Voice Radio with Drew Steele, November 10, 2025; Florida Chamber Foundation, "Florida advances to 15th largest economy," October 31, 2025.
² Michael Simas, Interview with The Floridian, October 7, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Michael Simas, Interview on Florida's Voice Radio with Drew Steele, July 10, 2025.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Frank Kopylov, "Florida Council of 100 CEO highlights state's pro-business growth," Florida's Voice, November 10, 2025.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ Michael Simas, Interview with The Floridian, October 7, 2025.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ Ibid.
