Hilton closes California governor bid by telling voters it's OK to vote Republican

Republican Steve Hilton is closing his race for California governor with a simple message: the state needs change, and it is OK to vote Republican. ABC7 in Los Angeles reported the pitch on Friday, Oct. 30, four days before Tuesday's election ¹.

Hilton told the station that Democrats approach him privately. He said they tell him they are lifelong Democrats but are voting for him this year, and are not telling anyone ¹.

On tapeABC7 · Oct 28

▶12:38

A big gap in the polls

His opponent is Democrat Xavier Becerra. Becerra leads Hilton by 22 points in a Public Policy Institute of California poll, ABC7 reported ¹.

The gap has been wide for weeks. An earlier PPIC poll, taken Sept. 4-10 among 1,098 likely voters, had Becerra at 60% and Hilton at 38% ². A poll Hilton's own campaign paid for in August, which surveyed registered voters, showed a closer race: Becerra 49.2% and Hilton at 41% ².

President Trump has endorsed Hilton but is, in ABC7's words, extremely unpopular in California ¹. Asked whether he regrets not separating himself more from Trump, Hilton said he is independent-minded ¹.

I've made it clear that I'm not going to take orders from the White House, I'm not going take orders from Sacramento.

Homelessness and gas prices

Hilton says he would build homeless recovery centers across the state. They would offer mental health and addiction treatment and job training. The first would be on a military base outside San Diego, and he said the state may need up to 30 ¹.

ABC7's reporter asked how he could get the program running in a year and whether the Legislature would pay for it. Hilton said money is already available. He said the state auditor found $24 billion spent on homelessness that could not be tracked, and that he would use it properly ¹.

The money's already there.

Hilton also keeps promising $3 gas. He says he would pay for it by removing what he calls hidden gas taxes. He said these now fund the state's high-speed rail project and the carbon fuel standard ¹. The ABC7 report does not say how much money that would raise or what would replace it.

Hilton also attacked Becerra's campaign style. He said Californians are being taken for granted after 16 years of one-party rule ¹. ABC7 noted that Becerra has run a much different campaign from Hilton's aggressive media push ¹.

What happens next

Voters decide Tuesday, Nov. 3. Hilton's own pollster showed him trailing in August, and the independent PPIC poll showed a wider gap ¹².

That matters beyond California. Republicans hold the White House, the House and the Senate. Hilton's campaign is a test of whether a Trump-endorsed candidate can win by stressing independence from the White House in a state where the president is unpopular ¹.

The Record

1. Sep 10, 2026A PPIC poll taken Sept. 4-10 had Becerra at 60% and Hilton at 38% among likely voters ².
2. Oct 27, 2026PPIC released a poll showing Becerra ahead of Hilton by 22 points ¹.
3. Oct 30, 2026ABC7 Los Angeles reported Hilton's closing pitch that it is OK to vote Republican ¹.

Sources

1. ABC7 Los Angeles, “California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton tells voters 'it's OK to vote Republican'; touts homelessness plan” (2026-10-30). abc7.com/post/california-gubernatorial-candidate-steve-hilto
2. Newsweek, “Steve Hilton vs. Becerra: Latest California Polls With 7 Weeks to Midterm” (2026-09-15). newsweek.com/steve-hilton-vs-becerra-latest-california-polls

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