Republican Governors Challenge CNBC’s Quality-of-Life Rankings

Republican governors are challenging CNBC’s recent annual quality-of-life rankings. The financial news outlet placed conservative red states in the bottom ten spots, despite official U.S. Census data showing these states lead in population growth.

Critics, including Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, expressed concerns over perceived liberal bias in CNBC’s ranking criteria. They argue that these criteria heavily penalize states with conservative legislation.

“Somebody must have forgotten to tell the tens of thousands of new Arkansans who have moved to our state in the last few years about this CNBC report, because they’re voting with their feet and voting overwhelmingly for the commonsense, conservative leadership Arkansas offers,” Sanders stated to Fox News Digital.

According to CNBC, its study titled “America’s Top States for Business” places increased emphasis on Quality of Life as a category. This category represents 11.6% of a state’s overall score. Rankings are based on data including crime rates, air quality, and healthcare.

The methodology also accounts for ideological policies, penalizing states lacking protections against discrimination and with restrictive abortion laws. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s spokesperson criticized the list as not reflecting reality.

CNBC’s report ranked the bottom ten states, from Arkansas to Tennessee, citing each for specific conservative policies. For instance, Tennessee was criticized for its “bathroom law,” which mandates facilities based on biological sex at birth.

Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp’s office dismissed the rankings as politically driven, noting an influx of new residents from Democratic-led states. U.S. Census data supports this trend, showing notable domestic migration to states like Texas and Florida.

Despite population gains in red states, Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom pointed out the partisan divide in the rankings.

Population data shows regions in the South and Sun Belt are growing, while traditionally blue areas are losing residents. For example, Los Angeles County saw a significant decline, losing 53,000 residents in one year.

Fox News Digital reached out to CNBC for comment but did not receive an immediate response.