Longtime NBC Sports reporter Michele Tafoya, who is now running to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate, is going viral after claiming that nearly one-third of California’s population is homeless.
“Homelessness, almost 30% of Californians are homeless on any given night!” Tafoya exclaimed on Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” earlier this week. “30%!” That is the largest margin by far.”
Fox cameras immediately showed host Greg Gutfeld looking perplexed after questioning the 30% statistic.
“I think it’s [28%] so close to 30% of their population is homeless on a given night,” Tafoya replied.
UPDATE: Here’s the video of Michele Tafoya’s false claim that “almost 30 percent of Californians are homeless”. The video panning to Gutfeld’s stunned face is priceless. https://t.co/Srdigl5B11 pic.twitter.com/n8GP33Qec2
— Michael Brodkorb (@mbrodkorb) February 27, 2026
Social media immediately mocked Tafoya, questioning how such a number would be mathematically possible. California has a population of roughly 39.5 million people, meaning that, if Tafoya’s math was accurate, the state would have over 11.5 million homeless people.
To be clear, California does have a homeless problem, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimating that the state has roughly 187,000 people experiencing homelessness. Still, that’s approximately 0.473% of California’s population, nowhere close to Tafoya’s math.
Upon further research, Tafoya’s statistics might have come from a March 2025 article by the Public Policy Institute of California. According to HUD’s research, roughly 24% of America’s homeless population — which HUD estimated was 771,500 — were in California. But that 24% covers the entire country.
Tafoya, a five-time Emmy Award-winner, addressed the mistake in an X post.
“The Left would rather focus on a misspeak than take responsibility for their failed policies,” she wrote. “[California Gov.] Gavin Newsom, [Los Angeles Mayor] Karen Bass, and other far-left politicians have destroyed California and allowed homelessness and crime to worsen year after year.”
The Left would rather focus on a misspeak than take responsibility for their failed policies. Gavin Newsom, Karen Bass, and other far-left politicians have destroyed California and allowed homelessness and crime to worsen year after year.
The facts speak for themselves ⬇️…
— Michele Tafoya (@Michele_Tafoya) February 28, 2026
Tafoya officially announced her campaign for the U.S. Senate in January. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who is also the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has publicly endorsed her.
Other Republican candidates in Minnesota include former NBA player Royce White, military veterans Adam Schwarze and Tom Weiler, and David Hann, who served as the Republican Party of Minnesota’s chairman from October 2021 through December 2024. Royce, a 2012 first-round pick of the Houston Rockets, ran for Congress in 2022 and was the party’s U.S. Senate nominee in 2024. However, he lost to incumbent Amy Klobuchar.
Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are the early Democratic candidates. Tina Smith, who has been Minnesota’s junior senator since January 2018, announced earlier this month that she will not run for re-election.
Former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich also backed Tafoya this week, writing, “Although this is her first run for public office, she has quickly demonstrated her command of the political issues. The likely 2026 GOP nominee, she could win in November even if there is no landslide.”
Tafoya thanked Gingrich in an X post, adding, “Let’s Win This.”
