During an appearance on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton took issue with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s assertion that a Democratic governor should lead the party’s presidential ticket in 2028. He specifically highlighted California Governor Gavin Newsom’s incomplete high-speed rail project as Beshear was praising accomplishments of Democratic governors.
Beshear had pointed out that governors can showcase their tangible achievements, setting them apart from former President Donald Trump. “Democratic governors have receipts,” he stated. “You can see, have you built the housing?” In response, Hilton asked, “Have you built the high-speed rail?”
This discussion arose after Maher mentioned Newsom as a notable 2028 candidate, even though Newsom hasn’t officially declared his intention to run.
Maher acknowledged Hilton’s critique, suggesting that the Republican candidate could leverage the troubled history of the high-speed rail project against Newsom. “You’re going to have a field day with that. No, you’re right,” Maher agreed.
Hilton’s campaign manager, Matt Ciepielowski, issued a statement criticizing California’s ongoing financial commitment to the high-speed rail. “If Andy Beshear thinks California’s high-speed rail is something to brag about, he should try buying a ticket,” he remarked, noting the billions spent and the years of delays without any service. He added that Hilton would cut state funding for the project if he became governor, stating, “Steve Hilton will end state funding on day one. Californians are struggling to pay their own bills. They shouldn’t have to keep paying for Sacramento’s failures, too.”
California state Senator Tony Strickland also weighed in, criticizing Newsom’s management of the high-speed rail, especially in light of an investigation revealing questionable expenses related to taxpayer-funded travel by project consultants. “The high-speed fail should have been defunded when Newsom took office in 2019,” he said. Strickland emphasized the misuse of funds and described the high-speed rail project as potentially one of the most wasteful government initiatives in California history.
The California high-speed rail project has faced significant delays and soaring costs since voters approved nearly $10 billion in bonds in 2008. An April estimate suggested that completing the full project could cost approximately $126 billion, far exceeding the original estimate of $33 billion, with no tracks laid as of that report.
According to the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 business plan, completing the initial segment from Merced to Bakersfield would cost about $35.7 billion, with plans to begin passenger service by 2033. As of February, around $15.7 billion had already been spent on the project.
Recent scrutiny of the project’s financial oversight followed a September investigation by California’s independent high-speed rail inspector general, which found approximately $81,000 in travel expenses that seemed to contravene state regulations, along with another $543,000 in charges that appeared improper under contract terms. These charges reportedly included expensive transportation and trips to non-essential venues.
In response to the criticisms, the California High-Speed Rail Authority stated that they were advancing construction and outlined corrective actions involving increased oversight, employee training, and recovery of improper payments. They also reported significant progress in construction, emphasizing the project’s expected benefits to transportation, economy, and job creation.
Fox News Digital reached out to Governor Newsom and the California High-Speed Rail Authority for comments, but did not receive an immediate response.
