The chief executives of Texas and Florida are urging Fox News talk show host Sean Hannity to move his program from to their states in the wake of a comment last week from New York's Gov. Andrew Cuomo that conservative Republicans have "no place" in the state.
Both Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Florida Gov. Rick Scott called Hannity's show Tuesday to make their pitches for Hannity to pack up his operations in his native New York and move to their states, where the political climate is more welcoming to conservatives and there are no state taxes.
"My wife and I have made a decision," Hannity said Tuesday night. "We're going to move. There are two states on my list, Texas and Florida." He noted, however, that he won't be making his move immediately because people depend on him for jobs.
On Monday, Hannity
slammed a statement last week from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that conservative Republicans have "no place" in New York.
Perry called Hannity from Switzerland to make his pitch for Texas, according to a recording of the
show posted at Brietbart.com.
His sales promotion was pretty much the same thing he gives as he travels across the country and around the world trying to attract new business to Texas.
"Twenty-seven percent of all the jobs created in the past 10 years have been created in Texas," Perry told Hannity. "People are voting with their feet. You're going to make a decision where you get to keep more of what you work for, and you feel like you live where you are wanted."
Hannity agreed that paying less in taxes would be a good thing because he said Nassau County where he lives is the second-highest taxed county in the country. He also complained about New York gun laws, which are considered among the toughest in the country, unlike Texas where most residents appear to embrace gun rights.
Scott also appealed to Hannity to leave the "high tax, cold environment" of New York for Florida, which has seen a steady rise in new residents moving from New York and New Jersey in search of not only warmer temperatures and more sunshine but a more welcoming business environment.
"Texas is a great place, but they're moving to Florida," Scott told Hannity, emphasizing a growing economy and lower taxes.
But he told Hannity the main reason to move to Florida is because "you can go outside every day here. Sailing, beaches, weather . . .
"You've got to move to Florida. Your kids will love you more if you move to Florida," he teased.
Florida might be an easier move, Scott also noted, because Hannity already owns vacation property in Lee County.
Hannity made no commitment to either governor, but on Monday he told his Fox viewers that he was leaning toward Florida because likes to fish and enjoys the water. If he does choose Florida, he would follow in the footsteps of fellow conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh who moved there in 2010 to protest New York taxes.
But if he chooses Texas, Hannity would also share the state with conservative talk show host Glenn Beck who moved there from Connecticut in 2011. Beck, who owns studios in Dallas a part of Mercury Radio Arts, also invited Hannity on Tuesday join him in the Lone Star state.
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