Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for governor, drew crowds in the Los Angeles area on Wednesday with the election looming just days ahead. In contrast, his leading Democratic rival did not take part in any public events.
Hilton had planned two events on Wednesday in Southern California. He started with a press conference in Altadena, a community affected by fires, collaborating with HPP Cares, a nonprofit that has been assisting families in coping with the aftermath of last year’s Eaton Fire.
His itinerary also included a rally in Van Nuys, where he intended to gather Democratic and Independent supporters. Hilton expressed concerns that 16 years of one-party leadership in California have led to increased living costs for residents.
Over recent weeks, the former Fox News host has made efforts to appeal to Democratic voters, even launching a bold advertising campaign that included a controversial suggestion to “just try it, California,” hinting at sexual themes.
Meanwhile, Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate, had no scheduled public engagements on Wednesday after a busy day on Tuesday in the Bay Area. He visited key players in the Asian American community and participated in a rally against Proposition 39 in San Francisco, later connecting with black community leaders in Oakland.
Polls recently indicate Becerra is significantly ahead of Hilton. A Public Policy Institute of California poll released on Wednesday reported Becerra’s support at 61% among likely voters, compared to Hilton’s 37%. This reflects an increase from a previous 22-point lead Becerra had in September, when he garnered 60% of the vote compared to Hilton’s 38%.
Becerra, who served as Health and Human Services secretary and was formerly a congressman and attorney general, has criticized Hilton’s ties to former President Donald Trump, positioning himself as a challenger to the federal government’s policies. Hilton, for his part, has labeled Becerra as a representation of California’s failing status quo.
During a campaign stop in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Hilton pointed to issues with California’s “Broadband-for-All” initiative, which was initiated with a hefty budget of $3.25 billion from federal COVID relief but has reportedly completed just one project to date—an example of the failures he believes are indicative of the state’s government failures.
