Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ripped into New York Democrats for “coddling” criminals at a campaign event on Long Island over the weekend for Rep. Lee Zeldin – and blamed the progressive leadership for sending residents packing for the Sunshine State.

DeSantis even called out former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for the migration.

“When de Blasio got elected mayor of New York, you know how much real estate in South Florida spiked when he got elected Mayor of New York City?” DeSantis quipped.

He also went after Hochul’s comments in August, where she called on New York Republicans to “Just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong,” adding, “You are not New Yorkers.”

“You have  a situation here where not only is your state making terrible decisions in driving people away, you have a governor who is telling Republicans in New York to leave the state. How pathetic is that?” DeSantis said.

“The crime problem has been totally self-inflicted — you cut police budgets, you do things like eliminate cash bail and you have rogue prosecutors who won’t even enforce laws that they agree with — of course you’re going to have streets that are less safe,” DeSantis said. “Of course you are going to have people that aren’t able to do the basics without fearing for their safety.”

“Stop turning [criminals] loose on the street. They’ll commit a crime and they put them right back out,” he went on. “Stop releasing people early from prison. If you do the crime, you must do the time.”

“We need to focus more on supporting the rights of the victims of crime and not be so concerned with the rights of the criminal. Lee Zeldin will not coddle these people. He will hold them accountable and you will be safer as a result.”

DeSantis said people “are sick and tired of crime that you see, particularly in New York City.” He boasted that Florida was a law-and-order state and that New York would become one if Zeldin were to be elected.

Loyal reader Michael Breen Rest In Peace.