California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton released a provocative campaign ad Thursday that hints at a lesbian encounter, one day after debating his Democratic rival, Xavier Becerra.
“Just Try It, California” is the first commercial in a six-figure television and digital advertising campaign targeting Gen Z and millennial voters, according to Hilton’s campaign.
The spot features two AI-generated young women sitting on a bed beneath a Pride flag. One wears a shirt emblazoned with “RESIST.” Their suggestive conversation indicates they may be about to engage in a sexual act, as one expresses hesitation and the other encourages her to continue.
“What if my dad finds out?” one of the women asks.
“Just try it,” the other replies. “Look, give me your hand. Close your eyes, and I’ll do all the work.”
The camera then moves downward, revealing the women filling in “Steve Hilton” on a California election ballot.
“I think I like it,” the previously reluctant woman says. The ad ends with the slogan, “Just try it.”
In recent months, Hilton has focused his California governor campaign on challenging the status quo while making direct appeals to independent voters and even Democrats. That strategy may be essential in a state where Democrats have long held a strong electoral advantage.
The Republican has also released ads urging people who oppose President Donald Trump, who endorsed Hilton, to vote for him anyway.
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“People do not need permission from a party to want a state they can afford,” Hilton said in a statement Thursday. “Gas, utilities, housing, schools. Sixteen years of the same government, and it keeps getting harder to live here. Just try something that actually brings costs down.”
“You do not have to become a Republican to want a different result,” Hilton added. “You do not have to like me. You just have to look at the last 16 years and ask if you are willing to try it.”
The campaign ad quickly drew a divided response.
Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, whose own campaign produced several viral ads, praised the commercial. “OK now this is a brilliant ad. OMFG,” he wrote.
Others expressed concern that the spot could be interpreted as an appeal to gay and lesbian Democratic voters.
“This ad isn’t poorly executed, but no joke this might turn off more Republicans from voting for Hilton because of that flag and it appearing as a pro-LGBT Hilton ad,” one user commented. “It persuades moderates or left leaning people to vote for him.”
Some viewers said the commercial made them uncomfortable, while others applauded its unexpected twist and attention-grabbing approach.
Generating headlines and sparking debate could benefit Hilton as he tries to gain ground in the California governor race. Recent polls show him trailing Becerra by roughly 18 percentage points.
