Republican Steve Hilton has secured a spot in California’s gubernatorial election this November, aiming to fill the vacancy left by term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom has governed the state’s vast population and substantial economy.
Hilton, who transitioned from being a British political strategist to an American conservative commentator and was a host on Fox News, has received backing from former President Donald Trump, as reported by the Associated Press.
In California, all candidates, irrespective of their party, appear on the same ballot, leading to a “jungle primary” where the leading two advance to the general election.
The major question now looms: who will be Hilton’s challenger in November?
The front-runners are Xavier Becerra, a former attorney general of California who has also served in President Joe Biden’s Cabinet and could make history as the state’s first Latino governor, and Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund manager who became an environmental activist after his unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Steyer has invested over $200 million of his own fortune into this gubernatorial race.
The primary saw an extensive field of 61 candidates, including Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R), ex-Democratic congresswoman Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and the state’s Public Instruction Director Tony Thurmond.
Hilton aims to make history himself, as no Republican has won a gubernatorial election in California since Arnold Schwarzenegger was re-elected two decades ago in 2006.
Interestingly, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Senator Alex Padilla had contemplated running but opted out, leaving California without a clear leading candidate for the first time in over 25 years.
The race had remained somewhat under the radar for a large part of last year, overshadowed by catastrophic wildfires and high-profile immigration issues during Trump’s presidency. However, it gained attention when leading candidate Eric Swalwell withdrew and resigned after facing serious allegations of misconduct, which he has denied.
Following Swalwell’s exit, both Steyer and Becerra climbed in the polls, intensifying the primary competition. In the meantime, Steyer’s hefty advertisement spending, alongside over $80 million from various outside funding, is shaping the campaign landscape.
Bianco had initially been a strong contender but saw his momentum wane after Trump endorsed Hilton in early April.
