Republican Steve Hilton advances in tight California governor’s race

Republican Steve Hilton, a former UK political operative and Fox News personality, has advanced to the November general election for California governor. He will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former congressman and US health secretary. Hilton's advancement is a notable achievement for a recent immigrant, bolstered by an endorsement from Donald Trump. The Associated Press projected Hilton would secure one of the top two spots in the nonpartisan primary held June 2. Initially, Hilton led the field as early votes were counted, prompting Trump to prematurely declare him the winner. However, as more mail-in ballots arrived, Becerra overtook Hilton on June 5. Hilton still finished ahead of Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund investor. Hilton, who moved from England to California in 2012 and became a US citizen in 2021, has surprised former colleagues in the UK. He previously served as a prominent adviser to Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, where he was known for his unorthodox style and catchy slogans, like the "hug a hoodie" campaign. He is now campaigning on making California "Califordable." Despite his primary success, Hilton faces a challenging path to victory in November in a deeply Democratic state. Running with Trump's endorsement in a state where the former president is unpopular further complicates his chances. Democrats typically win about 60% of the vote in California gubernatorial races and hold a nearly two-to-one voter registration advantage.

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