I think, unfortunately, the insulating effect of wealth can explain some of the individual-level decision making. If we assume these companies are relocating pr

I think, unfortunately, the insulating effect of wealth can explain some of the individual-level decision making. If we assume these companies are relocating professional, full-time staff, it's very possible those folks are making much, much more than the locals. When I lived in Texas, I made several times more than the median income for my metro area, and that's while still being paid less than my coastal peers. Someone in that situation may not agree with local policies around housing, or healthcare, or transportation, or whatever; but they're also likely to be able to spend their way out of any problems that they encounter with those policies. Likewise, a professional couple relocating from New York may not agree with state or local policies around schools, or gun control, or air quality; but they can probably afford private schools (which they were probably already using in New York, even if they largely agreed with NY's public school policy), and a home in a secure neighborhood, and an electric car. They may have delayed having kids, or had fewer kids, or maybe they don't have kids at all and live the DINK life where there DI goes much, much further. Cities like Austin have all the amenities that a "lifestyle leftist" would want: local stores selling local goods and produce; farm-to-table restaurants; a vibrant arts scene; plentiful EV chargers; etc. Such a person will probably live near like-minded people, with whom they will lament that Abbot has to go and that it's unfortunate that the state government is so hostile to teachers, or the environment, or trans people; but they're not going to take meaningful action that might bite the hand that feeds, like pushing to reduce corporate subsidies or increasing financial or environmental regulations.