Sacramento, California– SACRAMENTO, CA (AP) – Steve Hilton He portrayed California as a state full of potential, but one that had lost its way under Democratic leadership in his bid to become the state’s first Republican governor in more than 15 years.
“We have a responsibility to revive California, so it is once again a symbol of everything that is great about our nation: energy, optimism and ambition,” he said Tuesday in a speech. Election night Speech in Southern California.
On Wednesday, he remained optimistic that he would have the opportunity to carry that message into the general election as votes continued to be counted. California puts All candidates are on the same ballot Regardless of party, two advance to the general election.
The Associated Press had not announced the primary for any candidate as of Wednesday afternoon. Hilton and the Democrat Xavier Becerra They were leading so far with the Democrats Tom Steyer Run backwards a little. The state has a great history Voting updates after Election Day This can sometimes change the outcome of an election as late-arriving mail and dropped votes are counted.
Hilton, who has never held elected office before, promised to be a disruptor of the state’s political system, which he said has failed Californians struggling to afford life in the state’s notoriously high cost of living. He is a relative newcomer not only to the state’s political scene, but to the state of California itself. He immigrated to the state in 2012 from the United Kingdom, where he was an advisor to Conservative Party officials, including former Prime Minister David Cameron. He had a show on Fox News from 2017 to 2023 and became a US citizen in 2021.
If he advances to November, Hilton will face an uphill battle in a state that has not had a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011, and where Democrats make up 45% of registered voters compared to 25% for Republicans. He said he was confident of his ability to overcome these difficulties.
“When people say, ‘How are you going to win California as a Republican?’ My question is: How will a Democrat win based on the record he puts before the people? He told reporters outside the state Capitol on Wednesday.
He pledges to lower prices for everything from gas to housing, lower income taxes, create a loan program for first-time homebuyers, and freeze in-state tuition at public colleges.
He faces another hurdle to winning over voters who don’t typically vote Republican: the support of President Donald Trump.
“I know Steve – he’s a hard-working winner, he’ll change California fast – and the feds will be there to help!” Trump said in a post on social media.
While that endorsement likely helped him shore up support among Republicans in the primaries, it could be a handicap in November given the president’s dramatically low popularity in a state where he has routinely been made a punching bag. On debate stages and in speeches throughout the primaries, Hilton has not emphasized her support for Trump since he won in April. But he said he looked forward to having a friendly partner in Washington if he wins.
“It’s about what does this endorsement mean for the practical things we can get?” Helton said Wednesday, adding that he would work with the federal government to try to lower gas prices and cut wasteful government spending so the state can lower taxes.
The candidate’s promise to return the state to an indefinite golden age when most people were better off is not unlike Trump’s sweeping pledge to “Make America Great Again.”
In the primary, Helton fought for Republican votes against Republican Chad Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff.
In the final days of the race, Hilton warned that Becerra and Steyer might advance to the general election, eliminating Republicans. Throughout his campaign, Becerra touted his decades of political experience as evidence of his ability to lead, while Steyer relied on his history of progressive advocacy to demonstrate how he could meet the needs of families trying to make ends meet.
Hilton said neither candidate would disrupt the status quo after years of Democratic rule.
“The progressive experiment in governance — we can see the results,” he said. “It’s a disappointment all around.” “I don’t know how long we have to wait for this to actually work.”