Fox News Personality Steve Hilton Aims to Shake Up California Politics

TL/DR –

Steve Hilton, a British political consultant turned Fox News personality, aims to turn California’s political landscape from solidly Democratic to favour Republicans, despite challenges such as the high cost of living and steep budgetary crises in the state. In his run for governor, Hilton is using a Trump-like slogan and targeting common issues that affect residents, like high living costs, high taxes, and a public school system with poor test scores. However, his close alignment with the controversial Trump-end of the Republican party, and his moderate ideas reflecting cuts to taxes and public spending may not resonate with Californians, who have often rejected such platforms in the past.

Steve Hilton’s Bid for Governor Amid California’s Political Turmoil

California is seen as a challenging territory for ambitious Republicans, but Steve Hilton, a former British political consultant turned Fox News personality believes he has the strategies to change that landscape.

Hilton argues that the dominant Democratic Party, having flaws exposed from high living costs, and a significant budgetary crisis, have paved the way for change. Top figures like Governor Gavin Newsom suggest their party’s brand has become toxic.

Hilton is quick to blame the Democrats for the state’s problems, citing their dominance as the cause for the high cost of living expressed by the likes of former congresswoman Katie Porter and former state attorney general Xavier Becerra.

Hilton views the next year’s governor’s race as a golden opportunity for Republicans. He believes that a charismatic, dynamic, outside-the-box candidate like himself could provide the needed solution, even as the state’s majority party calls for change.

Since his campaign announcement, Hilton, with his distinctive white pickup truck bearing the slogan “Make California Golden Again”, has crisscrossed the state, engaging with voters from both conservative and liberal regions.

Hilton’s British origins have proven more of an asset than a liability due to his ability to present intricate political viewpoints in a relatable manner. He championed Brexit and previously advised former British Prime Minister, David Cameron. His message to Californians is simple: good jobs, homes, and schools are being thwarted by Democratic “one-party rule and bad ideas”.

However, Hilton’s association with the Donald Trump-end of the Republican party might prove problematic. Even Hilton’s moderate ideas reflect a Republican formula of tax, public spending, and business regulation cuts – a platform Californians have rejected multiple times.

Hilton additionally cites similarities between California in 2025 and Britain in the late 1970s, visualising himself as a Margaret Thatcher-like figure providing vital rightward course correction. Nevertheless, whether Hilton can win over independents and Democrats remains uncertain.

Despite Hilton’s talk of “commonsense solutions”, early Hilton supporters suggest more radical tendencies. Including Charlie Kirk, who runs the Trump-supporting youth group Turning Point, and Vivek Ramaswamy, a tech entrepreneur turned politician, and friend of Vice-President JD Vance.

Hilton’s popularity with small business owners in working-class, heavily Latino East Los Angeles, risks alienating wider California due to Trump’s toxic popularity in the state. An LA Times poll showed 68% of Californians disapprove of Trump’s job performance.

Hilton claims an energetic and appealing campaign will create momentum across the political spectrum. However, California’s primary system may pull him in different directions, as it requires candidates to beat all other Republicans, something that usually necessitates loyalty to the president.

Hilton believes he can win, based on a theory that the nation’s recent rightward swing will continue, including within California. However, many political analysts expect the midterm elections to swing in the opposite direction. This makes Hilton’s battle for the governorship a challenging uphill battle.

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