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July 16, 2021 | Research

Red States Dominate The Recovery

Research

Republican-Led States Are Spearheading The Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery

REPUBLICAN-LED STATES ARE BRINGING BACK JOBS

  • Newly released data from the Labor Department confirms that Republican Governors are leading the way in getting Americans back to work.
    • Jobs are rising and unemployment is lower in states with Republican Governors and legislatures.
  • 17 of the top 20 states for jobs recovered since the coronavirus pandemic hit are led by Republican governors, and 18 of the top 20 states have Republican-controlled legislatures.
    • The top eight states for jobs recovered are all led by Republicans.
    • Two Republican-led states – Idaho and Utah – have more jobs than when the pandemic hit.
  • 21 Republican-led states have recovered at least two-thirds of their lost jobs.
    • Only 10 Democrat-run states have recovered at least two-thirds of their jobs lost.
    • Three Democrat-run states – Louisiana, New Mexico, and Hawaii – have failed to recover even half the jobs lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.

(Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/16/21)

RED STATES HAVE LOWER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

  • Out of the top 20 states with the lowest unemployment rates, 15 are led by Republican governors.
    • The seven states with the lowest unemployment rates are all led by Republicans.
    • The ten states with the highest unemployment rates are all led by Democrat Governors: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania.
  • The average unemployment rate for the nation’s 27 states with Republican Governors is just 4.4 percent.
    • Democrat-led states have an average unemployment rate 1.6 percentage points higher – 6.0 percent.
  • The unemployment rates in New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Montana – all Republican-led – are lower than or at the same level they were when the pandemic began.

(Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/16/21)

RED STATES ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS

  • CNBC recently released its America’s Top States for Business 2021 report, where red states dominated thanks to pro-growth and pro-business Republican leadership.
  • 13 of the top 20 states for business are led by Republican governors.
    • Eight of the top 10 states for “cost of doing business” are Republican-led.
    • Seven of the top 10 states for “infrastructure” are Republican-led.
    • Eight of the top 10 states for “business friendliness” are Republican-led, while the bottom three states are run by Democrat governors.
    • Eight of the top 10 states for “cost of living” are Republican-led, while the bottom four states are run by Democrat governors.
  • Red states have led the way in getting Americans back on the job, while blue states continue to pay Americans not to work.
    • There are 2 million job openings – a record high – yet just as many Americans remain unemployed.
    • “Extra benefits” supported by Biden and Democrats in the $1.9 trillion stimulus are to blamefor labor shortages affecting employers. 
    • A Morning Consult poll recently showed that “8 million out-of-work Americans have turned down jobs” because these payments are too high.
    • At least 25 Republican-led states have announced they will stop paying Americans extra money not to work, 21 of which have already taken this action to get Americans back to work.