Former Fox News host Steve Hilton is running for governor of California as a Republican "to make California Golden Again," the Daily Caller reported. Hilton will attempt to unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in November 2o26.
Hilton announced his candidacy in a video on X, formerly Twitter, on April 18. "It’s time to make California Golden Again," Hiton began the caption for his video.
"We need some balance here after 15 years of Democrat one-party rule. Positive, practical policies that actually help people, not ideological crusades. It's why I am running for governor of California," Hilton added.
An American story
Hilton's video outlines his life story, starting with his background growing up in Britain, to his 2012 move to the U.S. with his parents, and ending with the sad decline of California over the pandemic. "It all started with freedom," Hilton began.
"My parents fled communism in Hungary. So I was born in England, a free country, but a country in rapid decline," Hilton charged.
He went on to mention that he graduated from Oxford University and later worked for then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who remains well-respected by Republicans. "She unleashed the spirit of enterprise in England," Hilton mentioned.
"She inspired me. I started a business, even a couple of restaurants. That is a tough business. Later, I helped elect a prime minister and worked in 10 Downing Street," Hilton added. These achievements would set him up for his 2012 move to California.
However, Hilton said the Golden State in "America, the home of freedom," didn't turn out to be so, thanks to mismanagement. "Look at these pictures — the chaos, the crime, the collapse of the California dream. This is not just any other state. California means to America what America means to the world," Hilton said over images of the masking and pandemic closures.
Taking aim
Hilton's announcement took aim directly at the politicians like Newsom, whom he blames for the mess in California. His video also included images of former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is rumored to be a contender for the Democrats in 2026.
"It’s time to end the years of Democrat failure. Let’s make California an inspiration, again, the very best of America," Hilton added, targeting Harris.
"There’s only one way to do that. We’ve got to end the one-party rule that got us into this mess," he said. The state has been under Democratic control since 2011, but Hilton focused mainly on Harris in another interview.
"She’d bring a lot of attention to the race and the issues that California faces. And I think that’s important that we can have a really serious policy discussion about how we turn things around and make California what it should be, which is the best of America," Hilton said.
California is a deep-blue state, but the chances for Republicans seem to have improved with every Democratic policy failure. Hilton may or may not be the man for the job, but it's promising to see the GOP energized at all there.
