Republican Steve Hilton has secured a spot in the November California gubernatorial election, aiming to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Hilton, a former British political strategist and conservative commentator, is endorsed by President Donald Trump, according to a report by the Associated Press. California's jungle primary system allows all candidates to appear on the same ballot, with the top two advancing to the general election.
Hilton's main competitors include Xavier Becerra, a former California attorney general and Cabinet secretary under President Biden, and Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund founder and environmental activist. The primary ballot featured 61 candidates, including Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and several Democratic candidates such as former Rep. Katie Porter and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
If elected, Hilton would be the first Republican governor of California since Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election in 2006. Notably, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Senator Alex Padilla considered running for governor but ultimately decided against it, leading to a lack of a clear frontrunner among Democrats for the first time in over 25 years. The gubernatorial race gained attention earlier this year when Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell withdrew from the race amid allegations of misconduct, allowing Becerra and Steyer to gain traction in the polls. Steyer has invested over $200 million in his campaign, while more than $80 million in outside funding has also been directed toward the race.