For the first time in state history, we lost a seat in Congress this week. If the California Exodus is a myth, apparently the Census Bureau is in on it. We actually would have lost two seats if Gavin Newsom and the Legislature hadn’t spent $182 million to juice the Census headcount. Florida and Texas, meanwhile, gained several seats. California’s loss reflects population changes over the last decade. But much of the damage was done by Newsom the last two years. His own Administration reports 136,000 more people moved out than moved in during just one of those years. Overall, a staggering 53 percent of residents say they’re contemplating a departure. California was once a place where anyone could get ahead; it’s now a place many can’t wait to leave behind. Our state’s inherent beauty and countless wonders are being overwhelmed by the failure of our politics.