California’s Struggles: Can One Man Make a Difference?
California is grappling with high taxes, progressive policies, and significant corruption, prompting many residents to leave the state each year.
However, one individual thinks he has the solution: Steve Hilton.
Hilton, who hails from Britain, is a conservative commentator previously involved with British Prime Minister David Cameron’s administration. He also hosted “The Next Revolution” on Fox News, and now, he’s a Republican candidate for the California governor’s race in 2026. Recently endorsed by former President Trump, he is currently ahead in several polls among a diverse group of candidates, which includes Democrats and fellow Republican Chad Bianco.
During a recent appearance on “Rufo and Romes,” hosted by Christopher Rufo on Blaze TV, Hilton revealed his views on the troubling state of affairs in California and articulated his vision for reform.
“When Democrats achieve their goals, you see California today,” Hilton remarked.
He cites the outcome of 16 years of continuous Democratic governance as a major concern.
“As of now, California shares the highest poverty rate in the nation, along with Louisiana, the highest unemployment rate, and the steepest cost of living,” he detailed, pointing to skyrocketing prices for gas, electricity, groceries, and housing.
“US News and World Report places California last for opportunity,” he continued. “WalletHub ranks it last for affordability. And Chief Executive Magazine lists California on the bottom for business climate.” He emphasized that this is merely scratching the surface.
After years of paying “the highest taxes for the worst outcomes,” Hilton believes a “real revolution” is beginning. While it may seem far-fetched for a Republican to govern one of the most liberal states, he argues that the catastrophic failures of the state government might allow for surprising victories.
“We could see an unexpected shift this year with a Republican governor stepping in this November,” he suggested.
Rufo expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of a Republican leader in California, particularly in light of widespread fraud uncovered during Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s tenure.
“Depending on how you look at the numbers, at the very least, we’ve lost about $180 billion due to fraud under Newsom, and at the worst, it could be around $400 billion,” he stated, referencing findings from a recent City Journal report.
“It’s hard to come to grips with the scale of this. Could you explain what you’ve found and what the actual extent of the fraud is?” he queried.
Hilton has initiated the CAL DOGE project, aimed at investigating these matters. He explained that his team utilized public records, audits, and whistleblower accounts to unveil shocking results.
He offered two noteworthy examples.
“When California legalized marijuana through Proposition 64, the promise was that tax revenues would fund drug prevention efforts. But we traced those funds. Over $370 million went to hundreds of nonprofits,” Hilton reported.
“A glance at their websites shows they’re largely engaged in Democratic political work, like voter registration and community organizing,” he added.
Hilton’s second instance involved California’s “Climate Fund.” Since 2015, $100 million per year has been designated for solar panel installations in low-income housing, yet the program itself revealed that only $72 million was spent on actual installations.
“In reality, it seems nearly $928 million is funneled into various Democratic political organizations,” he said.
“Taxpayers are misled that their money is going to beneficial causes, but it’s really just bolstering the Democratic infrastructure… and the scale of this is enormous,” he noted, estimating that CAL DOGE’s findings indicate state fraud could total between $312 billion and $425 billion over five years.
“How do we change this system?” Rufo asked.
For Hilton’s insights on potential solutions, see the video above.
