A Republican who wants to slash taxes, drill for American energy, and clean up California’s elections just punched his ticket to the governor’s ballot in one of the bluest states in America.
Story Snapshot
- Republican Steve Hilton secured a top-two spot and will face Democrat Xavier Becerra for California governor.[1][2][5]
- Hilton, backed by President Donald Trump, ran on affordability, lower gas prices, and big tax cuts.[2][5]
- California’s Democrat-heavy electorate and top-two primary rules still make a Republican win an uphill battle.[1][3][5]
- Hilton is pushing election reforms and faster vote counting after slow primary results raised concerns.[5][10]
Republican Hilton Cracks California’s Blue Wall
Republican Steve Hilton has done what many experts said was almost impossible: He broke through California’s deep-blue wall and advanced to the November general election for governor.[1][2][5] In the state’s top-two “jungle” primary, every candidate appeared on the same ballot, and only the two highest vote-getters moved on, no matter their party.[1][2][5] Hilton grabbed one of those two spots and will now face longtime Democrat power player Xavier Becerra in November.[1][2][4][5]
Hilton’s performance was not a fluke in a tiny field; it came in a crowded race with more than 60 candidates, including big-name Democrats like former presidential hopeful Tom Steyer and several well-funded statewide figures.[2][5][7] Reports say Hilton secured roughly a quarter of the vote as the count neared completion, edging out Steyer for second place and knocking him out of the race.[4][5] That means millions of Californians backed a Republican who promised to break one-party rule in Sacramento.[5]
Trump-Backed Conservative Runs on Affordability and Energy Freedom
Hilton’s rise came with clear support from President Donald Trump, who endorsed him in April 2026 and helped present him as the conservative standard-bearer in the race.[2][4][8] Hilton is not a career Sacramento insider; he is a British-born American conservative commentator and former Fox News host who also worked as a political adviser before entering this race.[2][5][8] That outsider profile helped him connect with voters tired of the same class of politicians driving California into higher costs and deeper government control.[2][5][7][8]
On policy, Hilton has centered his campaign on a simple theme: life in California has become unaffordable, and Democrat rule is to blame.[5][7][9] He has promised to cut the state income tax for working families, including eliminating tax on the first chunk of earnings and moving to a simpler flat rate above that.[5] He also vows to slash the gas tax, boost oil drilling, and roll back environmental rules that have driven energy prices higher, arguing that California families deserve lower fuel and housing costs, not more green mandates.[5][7][9]
Top-Two Rules and Heavy Democrat Edge Make the Fight Tough
Hilton’s breakthrough comes in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by about two to one, and no Republican has won a statewide race in roughly twenty years.[3][5][7] Analysts openly describe Hilton as a “longshot,” pointing to the structural tilt of the electorate and the way powerful unions and national Democrat groups can pour money into the race.[3][5] The top-two primary system also tends to lock in one Democrat and one Republican, then snap back to the state’s usual partisan lean in November.[1][3][7]
Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former California attorney general and former federal Health and Human Services secretary under Joe Biden, finished first in the primary and enters the general election with a long resume of government posts.[1][2][4] Media coverage stresses that many observers see Becerra as the favorite because of California’s “lopsidedly Democratic” electorate and strong liberal donor network.[3][5] That framing often paints Hilton less as a serious challenger on policy and more as a rare Republican finalist in a deep-blue state.[3][4][5]
Election-System Doubts and Hilton’s Push for Faster, Cleaner Counts
While Hilton talks about affordability, he has also leaned into concerns about how California runs its elections, especially slow ballot counting and voter rolls that he argues are messy and outdated.[5][10] Coverage shows him calling for an “Emergency Election Support Corps” and extra regional surge teams to help counties process ballots faster so voters are not waiting days or weeks for clear results.[10] Election officials respond that they focus on accuracy over speed and say state law allows ballots to arrive for days after Election Day.[10]
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
AP IS PROJECTING STEVE HILTON TO ADVANCE TO GENERAL ELECTION FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR!!
He'll face off with Becerra!!!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Let's GO. ❤️🇺🇲💪🙏 @SteveHiltonx!!— realSisterKay 😇 (@SisterKay1111) June 10, 2026
Hilton’s critics claim his sharper election rhetoric, including talk of incorrect voter-roll entries and ballot handling, lacks full public evidence in the record provided so far.[10] But his push taps into a broader worry many conservatives share: when results take too long, trust in the system erodes and people wonder who is really in charge.[10] For voters already angry about high prices, crime, and heavy-handed rules, a slow and confusing vote count only deepens the sense that Sacramento is not working for them.
Sources:
[1] Web – Republican Steven Hilton advances to general election for California …
[2] Web – Trump-backed Hilton advances to California governor general election
[3] Web – Hilton, Becerra advance to general election for California governor
[4] Web – Becerra to face Hilton in California gov’s race, after Steyer falls …
[5] Web – Becerra Advances in California Governor Race as Hilton, Steyer …
[7] Web – Steve Hilton – Wikipedia
[8] Web – Who are the 2026 California governor candidates? – CalMatters
[9] Web – Steve Hilton takes early lead in race for CA governor – ABC7
[10] YouTube – CA Governor’s Race | Steve Hilton
