Fox News Alum Steve Hilton Enters California Governor Race

Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator and former Fox News host, has announced his candidacy for California governor in the 2026 election. Running as a Republican, Hilton formally launched his campaign in Huntington Beach with a platform focused on addressing California's taxes, housing costs, and what he describes as 'the destruction of the California dream.' His campaign theme, 'Golden Again: Great Jobs, Great Homes, Great Kids,' emphasizes what his team calls 'positive populism' aimed at working families.

Hilton, who previously served as an adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, joins a field that includes prominent Democrats such as former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former U.S. Representative Katie Porter. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, described as a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, is also running as a Republican. The race could potentially include former Vice President Kamala Harris, who has not ruled out a gubernatorial run in her home state.

During his announcement, Hilton specifically referenced the possibility of Harris entering the race, stating that the governor's position should not be a 'consolation prize' for a 'failed and rejected machine politician from Washington.' He also criticized state Democrats for what he characterized as 'extremism and incompetence' in handling January's Southern California wildfires, along with criticizing the party's relationships with activists, unions, and bureaucrats.

California operates under a top-two primary system where all candidates compete on a single ballot regardless of party affiliation, with the two highest vote-getters advancing to the general election. The state has not elected a Republican to statewide office in nearly two decades, with Arnold Schwarzenegger being the last Republican governor, elected in 2006. Current Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026.

If Harris decides to enter the race and wins, she would make history as the first Black woman elected governor in the United States. The daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, Harris previously served as California's Attorney General and U.S. Senator before becoming Vice President under President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025.