OAN Staff Sophia Flores and Katherine Mosack
5:45 PM – Tuesday, July 9, 2026
Steve Hilton has advanced from California’s all-party primary field of more than 20 candidates, earning a spot in the November runoff against Democrat Xavier Becerra to become the next governor of the Golden State.
With 89% of votes counted, the Trump-endorsed candidate received 2,106,644 votes, or 25% of the vote, just behind Becerra, who received 2,352,600 votes, or 27.9%, according to the Associated Press.
Hilton, the London-born former Fox News host, moved to the Bay Area of California in 2012 after previously serving as a senior advisor to former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron of the Conservative Party. He then became a U.S. citizen in May 2021, taking an oath of allegiance at a naturalization ceremony in San Francisco, California.
“To make real change happen in government, you need the ability to think differently, the courage to challenge establishment groupthink and the conviction to follow through,” Hilton said on his campaign website. “That’s what I will bring to this job – to the urgent necessity of restoring the California Dream for everyone, and making this beautiful state, that we love so much, truly Golden Again.”
He cited his past opposition to pandemic-era lockdowns and school closures, his warnings over America’s reliance on China, and his advocacy for healthier school meals as key examples of times he broke ranks with California liberals and leftists to help shift public opinion.
Hilton also promised to “bring back the starter home” through a sweeping deregulation and incentive package. His plan includes making starter-home construction more profitable, fast-tracking local development approvals, and freezing new housing regulations for five years. Additionally, Hilton pledged to establish a Governor’s Housing Expediter to bypass bureaucratic delays and create a dedicated loan program for first-time buyers.
This is part of Hilton’s “Califordable” campaign, which also applies to his tax plan. His plan includes no tax on tips, canceling the state income tax for “low income” households, ending the $800 small business tax and implementing a flat 7.5% income tax for all other households, instead of multiple brackets.
Trump gave Hilton his “COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT” back in April, calling him a “truly fine man.”
The state has not had a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011.
That long dry spell for the GOP could change on November 3, 2026, when California voters head to the polls for the general election matchup between Hilton and Becerra.
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