California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton advanced in the state’s gubernatorial race and will compete against former Biden administration Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra.
Becerra received 2,177,556 votes, or 27.67 percent of the vote, while Hilton received 1,975,062 votes, or 25.10 percent of the vote, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer came in third place with 1,759,328 votes, or 22.36 percent of the vote.
President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton in April, describing him as a “truly fine man” who has watched as California “has gone to Hell” under Democrat leadership.
“I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is running for Governor of California, for many years,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post at the time. “He is a truly fine man, one who has watched as this once great State has gone to Hell. Gavin Newscum and the Democrats have done an absolutely horrendous job. People are fleeing, crime is increasing, and Taxes are the highest of any State in the Country, maybe the World.”
In the days following California’s gubernatorial primary on June 2, Hilton criticized California for counting the votes slowly, noting that “the world is laughing” at California’s “inability to count votes in a timely manner.”
“Nearly a week into California’s election shambles,” Hilton wrote in a post on X on Monday. “Where is Gavin Newsom? No comment except to reject my plan to speed things up. We deserve better than a do-nothing, checked-out governor. Time for a change!”
The Hill reported that Becerra “was boosted by his experience running statewide” and from “his time” serving in former President Joe Biden’s administration. Becerra was also described as appealing to “Latino voters.”
