Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton set to clash in California gubernatorial race
Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton have secured spots on the November ballot for California governor, facing issues such as housing affordability and high living costs.
Former state attorney general Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will compete in the November election for California’s governorship, succeeding term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. Both candidates highlighted the state’s high cost of living, housing shortages and homelessness as top priorities.
Hilton, a former Fox News commentator who received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, framed his campaign as a chance for voters to break two decades of Democratic control, noting that the last Republican governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. He said, > "If you’re happy with the way that California is being run, Xavier Becerra is your guy. If you want change, vote for me."
Becerra, who served as California’s attorney general and as health secretary under President Joe Biden, emphasized his record of legal challenges to the federal government and pledged to resist what he described as federal attacks on state policies. He told a crowd, > "Donald Trump is doubling down on decline and counting on people being too fearful, distracted or gullible to fight back. As governor I will never back down from the threats of small cowards in big offices."
The primary results were confirmed after a week of counting mail-in ballots, a process that continues to be lengthy in the state. Democrat Tom Steyer, who spent heavily on his campaign, conceded and urged his supporters to back Becerra, stating, > "It would be a travesty for Steve Hilton to win the governorship, and Californians must unite behind Xavier Becerra to ensure he does not."
Policy proposals differ: Hilton plans to eliminate state income tax on the first $100,000 of earnings, create a loan program for first-time homebuyers and freeze public college tuition, while Becerra proposes emergency declarations to address energy costs, housing shortages and insurance rates. Both candidates are children of immigrants; Hilton became a U.S. citizen in 2021 after moving from the United Kingdom, and Becerra was born in Sacramento to Mexican parents. Becerra would be the first Latino governor of California since the 19th century.