Conservative commentator Steve Hilton is headed to California’s gubernatorial general election, facing off against Xavier Becerra, former President Joe Biden’s health and human services secretary.
Hilton, endorsed by President Donald Trump, received 25% of the vote in the open primary, coming in second behind Becerra, who garnered 27.9% of the vote, according to the Associated Press. The outlet called the race on Tuesday evening, one week after the election, with 88% of the vote counted.
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Hilton beat out billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer for the general election spot. Steyer held 22.6% of the vote on Tuesday evening.
The Trump-backed Hilton took a victory lap on social media, posting an image promising that “change is coming,” echoing one of his campaign slogans.
Since Becerra secured the first general election spot on Friday, Hilton had been campaigning as if the November matchup between himself and the former Biden official had already been set. Hilton circulated a video advertisement slamming Becerra for backing Newsom’s policies on homelessness.
“Xavier Beccera is more of the same. Don’t watch another rerun,” the advertisement said.
Hilton campaigned on policy priorities such as lowering taxes in the Golden State, moving homeowners off the state’s FAIR insurance plan to low-cost standard policies, and rolling back state restrictions on gun rights.
The Trump-backed candidate also highlighted his election reform platform idea to create an “Emergency Election Count Accelerator Plan,” a timely policy idea this week as the results in the Los Angeles mayoral race receive timing-related blowback.
Conservative candidate Spencer Pratt, who had been in second place for much of the first week as initial results rolled in, fell behind Councilwoman Nithya Raman on Sunday, and Raman and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass moved on to the general election. Conservative pundits have slammed the way California counts its votes, with Trump calling it a “rigged election.”
Hilton’s election reform plan would include changes like requiring mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day and identification for in-person voting.
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“California’s voting rules allow people to BACKDATE their ballot and vote AFTER election day,” Hilton posted on X. “We need to end this farce, count votes quickly, get Voter ID!”
Hilton and Beccera will face off in the general election on Nov. 3. Most of the limited general election polling has shown Democratic candidates beating out Hilton in the deep-blue state.
