Steve Hilton advances to California governor general election to face Xavier Becerra

What This is

• Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra have advanced from California’s top-two primary and will face each other in the November general election for governor.
• The election will choose a successor to term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom and put the winner in charge of the nation’s largest state economy.
• California’s system advances the top two finishers from an all-party primary, and millions of late-arriving mail ballots made the outcome slow to finalize in several races.
• Hilton is a British-born former UK political adviser and ex–Fox News host who became a U.S. citizen in 2021 and has never held elected office, and he was endorsed by Donald Trump.
• Becerra is a veteran Democrat who has served as a member of Congress, California attorney general, and U.S. health secretary in the Biden administration.
• Hilton’s campaign has emphasized affordability and proposed measures such as tax cuts, including making the first $100,000 of income tax-free, along with housing and tuition proposals.
• Becerra has campaigned on his experience, has drawn backing from key labor and Latino leaders, and has faced scrutiny over his record as U.S. health secretary during the pandemic and other crises.
• Vote counting and election rules have become a campaign flash point, with Hilton pushing voter ID and other changes while Becerra and election officials argue the current process prioritizes access and accuracy.

Why This Matters

• California’s governor influences policy for tens of millions of residents and can set national agendas on housing, cost of living, and climate risks.
• The campaign’s fight over election administration tests public trust in democratic procedures and can shape future voting rules.
• A Hilton–Becerra matchup crystallizes broader partisan conflict in a heavily Democratic state and signals whether Republicans can build statewide coalitions there.
• The record-cost primary highlights how self-funding and outside money can shape who reaches the general election.