LIZ PEEK: Steve Hilton is a bold California gambler that voters can’t ignore
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In 2016, then-president Trump asked black voters, “What do you have to lose?”
Trump challenged African-American voters to rethink their long-standing loyalty to the Democratic Party, which he said, rightly, took them for granted and failed to meet the most pressing needs of Black families, including providing their children with a good education.
Steve Hilton, a Republican running for governor of deep blue California, should be asking the same question to Golden State voters.
California is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, mainly because of the decisions made by Democrats who have controlled the state with two-thirds of the legislature since 2018 and have occupied the governor’s mansion since 2011.
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Not only is California unaffordable, but the state also has high rates of homelessness, poverty and illegal immigration, and is bleeding both businesses and citizens tired of high taxes and oppressive regulations.
In a recent CBS News poll, half of California voters said they wanted a candidate who promised “change.” A rational, pro-growth figure, Hilton, a former Fox News consultant and advisor to David Cameron’s Conservative government in the UK, will not only offer change to the Golden State; he would bring change.
Not only is California unaffordable, but the state also has high rates of homelessness, poverty and illegal immigration, and is bleeding both businesses and citizens tired of high taxes and oppressive regulations.
Even some Democrats, like gubernatorial candidate and tech entrepreneur Matt Mahan, say the state should change course. Mahan, a graduate of Silicon Valley and Harvard who has served three years as mayor of San Jose, says, “We don’t need MAGA, but we don’t need the same,” and has criticized his party on a number of issues, including its handling of homelessness and public safety.
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Primary day in California is June 2. Mail-in voting began Monday. Currently, Hilton leads a large field of candidates; As inconceivable as it may seem, the Republic has a shot.
Republican Steve Hilton, a candidate for governor in California, speaks during an affordable town hall at the Hotel Zessa in Santa Ana on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
Until recently, Hilton’s chances were better because of the way California’s primary elections work and because a lot of Democrats were still running.
The province hosts an open race, so the top two candidates will face off on Election Day in November, regardless of party affiliation. A few weeks ago, Hilton and Republican Chad Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County, were leading a crowded field, with more than eight Democrats splitting their party’s vote. Had Hilton and Bianco finished first and second in the June ballot, California would have been on track to elect its first Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Democrats are shocked by the prospect of calling members of their own party to drop out of the race. When that failed, they seemed to have set up the end of the Democratic Rep’s run. Eric Swalwell, and the staff, for exposing allegations of sexual harassment that have been swirling around congress for a long time. It was a callous but smart move. Swalwell was in charge at the time but could have been a political liability if these negative allegations had surfaced at a critical time in the campaign.
Also, Swalwell’s exit boosted the campaigns of billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra, a former Biden Cabinet chief. Both are now running just behind Hilton. Bianco dropped to fourth place.
If Hilton plays Steyer, Becerra or another Democrat, can he still win? It would certainly be an uphill battle. About 46% of California voters are registered Democrats, with the balance roughly between Republicans, independents and other voters. Also, Hilton is endorsed by President Donald Trump, whose approval rating in California is below 40%.
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On the other hand, the Democratic field is weak, even by that party’s standards. A recent piece in The New York Times discusses Democrats’ disappointment that former Vice President Kamala Harris did not enter the governor’s race, with officials admitting the field is “lacking.” Last year, Harris was the favorite contender, according to Emerson’s poll, with about 31% of voters and 49% of Democrats supporting his run. Instead of jumping into the governor’s race, Harris has been targeting a third race for the Oval Office.
Tom Steyer, a progressive hedge fund manager, is now using a second credit for his biggest self-financing. CalMatters recently reported that Steyer is “on track to run the most expensive gubernatorial campaign in state history, having spent more than $132 million.”
As Democrats nationally veer to the left and take an anti-wealth social-style platform, Steyer would be an odd choice.
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Another contender is Xavier Becerra, a former Democratic congressman and former head of Health and Human Services under Biden, who received the majority of Democratic Swalwell’s votes.
Hilton brings to the campaign a fresh and thoughtful approach to California’s problems. Like most Americans, Californians struggle with the high cost of living, with 70% of those in a CBS poll saying it’s “out of control.” People are depressed about the nation’s economy, with most Republicans and independents, and even 39% of Democrats, describing it as “bad.”
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Climate policies announced by Democrats have driven energy costs through the roof. Gasoline in California now costs more than $6 per gallon, more than 40% higher than the national average. Housing is also more expensive than in the rest of the US, due to restrictive environmental regulations. Per capita income taxes are the highest in the nation, while the state is tied with Delaware for the highest unemployment.
Hilton says he will end California’s “war on business,” cut taxes and engage in ever-expanding spending. He also wants better schools, writing on his website: “Only 35 percent of K-12 students meet state math standards, and only 47 percent meet English language arts standards.”
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Hilton hit a hamstring; his campaign has the highest number of individual donors, and he has toured the country holding loud and enthusiastic rallies. He can bring what California voters want: change.
What do they have to lose?
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