1 min read
Sources:
press and public records, Kevin's account, his own videos
["lime","default","default"]
Short answer
No to both. Research in September 2026 found no Florida candidacy, filing or ballot entry; the 2022 Florida race was won by Ron DeSantis without Kevin on any list. The rumor comes from his May 17, 2021 announcement video, where he teased moving his family to Florida and reversed himself in the same breath. His later remark about running again in 2022 referred to California, if he had won the recall. He still lives in Ventura. 12
Florida run: Never happened (no filing, no ballot entry)
Origin of rumor: May 17, 2021 (announcement video riff)
Lives in: Ventura, CA (same home for 11+ years)
The record
No Florida candidacy of any kind. Kevin’s Wikipedia biography goes from the 2021 California recall to the ETF launch in November 2022 with nothing in between; the 2022 Florida governor’s race was won by Ron DeSantis and Kevin appears on no candidate list, filing or Ballotpedia entry. His August 2021 comment about running again in 2022 was, in context, about seeking a full California term if the recall had succeeded. 1
Where the rumor started
In the May 17, 2021 announcement video he opened with a bit about moving his family to Florida, then reversed: he was not leaving, he was going to fix California. Clips of the first half circulated. 1
Today
He lives in Ventura, in the same home for over eleven years, and Reinvest is headquartered there. The company’s stated investment thesis is a bet on Southern California specifically. 2
In his own videos
September 7, 2019: moving out of california, the first of several videos with that framing. 3
October 10, 2020: leaving california. 4
February 26, 2021: I’m Not F$king Leaving. 5
May 17, 2021, the same day he announced for governor: My Official Announcement on Leaving California, the video the rumor comes from. 6
He joked about leaving California in the video where he announced he was running to fix it. No Florida move, no Florida campaign. 1
Simply put
✅ The rumor
➡️ In his 2021 announcement video he said he was going to move his family to Florida, then said he was not leaving and would fix California instead.
➡️ People remembered the first half.
✅ The record
➡️ Zero Florida filings. Not on any 2022 candidate list.
➡️ He said in 2021 he might run again in 2022. He meant California, as a sitting governor.
Sources
Company research memo, political activity (Florida 2022: no evidence; origin of the rumor); nickiswift.com on the announcement video, Open
Kevin's account, Origins: “I've lived in the same home for over 11 years” Read the excerpt
Kevin on YouTube, "moving out of california..." (2019-09-07), at 0:00: “moving out of california...” Watch from 0:00
Kevin on YouTube, "leaving california..." (2020-10-10), at 0:00: “leaving california...” Watch from 0:00
Kevin on YouTube, "I'm Not F$*king Leaving." (2021-02-26), at 0:00: “I'm Not F$*king Leaving.” Watch from 0:00
Kevin on YouTube, "My Official Announcement on Leaving California." (2021-05-17), at 0:00: “My Official Announcement on Leaving California.” Watch from 0:00
