Steve Hilton Leads in California Gubernatorial Race
A recent poll reveals that Republican Steve Hilton has taken an unexpected lead in California’s gubernatorial race.
The Fox News contributor, known for his criticism of Gov. Gavin Newsom, has garnered 17% support, putting him ahead of the competition, according to a survey by Emerson College.
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and Republican Sheriff candidate Chad Bianco are tied for second place, each receiving 14%. Former Rep. Katie Porter follows with 10%, while billionaire Tom Steyer is just one point behind her.
Interestingly, about 21% of voters remain undecided—a notable drop of 10 points since December—with Hilton seeing an increase of 5 points during that time.
Spencer Kimball, executive director of the Emerson College Poll, noted that California Republican voters are almost evenly divided between Hilton (38%) and Bianco (37%). Additionally, Hilton enjoys support from 22% of independent voters.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the last candidate to enter the race, has an approval rating of only 3.4%, placing him at the bottom of the field of 12 candidates.
Kimball also mentioned that Democratic voters haven’t rallied around a single candidate yet.
The survey was conducted from February 13 to 14, involving 1,000 likely voters, and has a margin of error of three percentage points.
The last time a Republican won the governorship in California was back in 2006 when Arnold Schwarzenegger secured a second term. Since then, some have criticized Sacramento as a “one-party” political landscape.
The gubernatorial primary is set for June 2, and the top two candidates, regardless of their party affiliation, will proceed to the general election on November 5 to succeed Newsom upon the conclusion of his term.
Hilton has raised nearly $6 million for his campaign, making it the highest amount ever for such a race in California, aside from Steyer’s self-funded efforts. He is against the proposed billionaire tax and mileage tax, and he has openly criticized responses from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom regarding the Palisades fire.
According to the poll, the primary concerns for Californians are housing costs and the economy, with over half of voters (53%) considering leaving the state due to the high cost of living.
