SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In a significant political development, Republican candidate Steve Hilton has secured a spot in the upcoming general election for the California governor’s seat. Hilton is campaigning with a promise to revitalize the state’s leadership, which he argues has been stagnant under Democratic control for over 15 years.
Hilton will compete against Democrat Xavier Becerra, who has previously served as California’s state attorney general and as the health secretary in the Biden administration. The Associated Press has confirmed Becerra’s lead with enough votes to advance.
The November election poses a formidable challenge for Hilton, given California’s political landscape, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two to one. A victory for Hilton would mark the first Republican win in a statewide office since 2006.
Despite the odds, Hilton remains optimistic about his chances.
“My mission is straightforward: head to Sacramento, eliminate corruption, lower your expenses, support businesses, and improve our education system,” Hilton declared in a statement.
Hilton further criticized his opponent, stating, “Xavier Becerra epitomizes the career politician. After 36 years entrenched in politics, his policies have saddled California with the highest poverty rate, the highest unemployment rate, and the steepest cost of living in the nation. Yet, he pledges to maintain the status quo.”
The outcome means Democratic candidate Tom Steyer did not qualify for the November election.
During the campaign Hilton attacked Democrats over the state’s high cost of living, the homelessness crisis and other issues. He pledged to lower prices for everything from gas to housing; make Californians’ first $100,000 free of income tax; create a loan program for first-time homebuyers; and freeze in-state tuition at public colleges.
Hilton was endorsed in April by President Donald Trump, which helped him consolidate support among Republican voters in the primary but could be a liability in the general election.
Hilton, who has never held elected office, came to the United States in 2012 from the United Kingdom, where he was an adviser to Conservative Party officials including former Prime Minister David Cameron. He had a show on Fox News from 2017 to 2023 and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.
Hilton often mentions his parents’ experience fleeing communism in Hungary before migrating to the U.K. as a formative part of his family’s history that helped shape his conservative worldview.
