Republican Steve Hilton is running for governor of California in the Nov. 3 general election against Democrat Xavier Becerra.
Hilton advanced from the June 2 primary with approximately 25% of the vote, according to CapRadio/CalMatters. He launched his campaign on April 21, 2025, with an announcement event in Huntington Beach. His running mate for lieutenant governor is former Democratic State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero.
Candidate information
- Born: Aug. 25, 1969, in London, England
- Residence: Silicon Valley, where he moved in 2012
- Citizenship: Became a U.S. citizen in May 2021; renounced British citizenship in 2025
- Education: Bachelor of arts in philosophy, politics and economics, New College, Oxford
- Family background: His parents emigrated from Hungary to Britain during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, initially claiming asylum
Experience and public service
Hilton served as director of strategy for British Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2012. He hosted "The Next Revolution" on Fox News from 2017 to 2023. He co-founded Crowdpac and co-founded Golden Together, a bipartisan research institute, in 2023. He has held academic positions at Stanford University, including visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, instructor at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design and scholar at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
On the issues
Taxes and budget: Hilton says he would eliminate California state income tax on the first $150,000 of income, according to his campaign website. In an Oct. 6 interview with Axios, he proposed an 8% flat state income tax rate on income above that threshold. He says the state budget has increased 50% after inflation over the past decade. He calls for cutting spending.
Housing: Hilton says the main causes of California's housing crisis are what he calls hidden housing taxes, anti-housing regulations and anti-housing lawsuits. He says only about 5% of California's land is developed and argues the state has space to build if bureaucratic obstacles are removed.
Energy and environment: Hilton says he would expand oil production and refinery capacity in California to reduce gas prices, including using the California Geologic Energy Management Division to issue permits to the energy industry, according to an ABC7 interview. He argues California imports nearly 80% of the oil it uses despite having reserves, which he says increases costs and carbon emissions.
Criminal justice: Hilton says he would prioritize law enforcement on issues including homelessness, open-air drug markets, shoplifting and violent crime. "People need to know that if they commit a crime they will be caught, prosecuted and convicted," Hilton said in his BallotReady questionnaire response.
Education: Hilton says he would push for higher academic standards, expand charter schools and introduce school choice over time. He says he would support parent-trigger laws that let parents initiate reforms at low-performing schools.
Endorsements
Hilton's campaign lists endorsements from President Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, U.S. Reps. Tom McClintock and Kevin Kiley, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, according to State Affairs Pro and BallotReady. The Bay Area GOP, Santa Clara County GOP, Monterey County GOP, Silicon Valley Association of Conservative Republicans, California Congress of Republicans and American Council have also endorsed him, according to BallotReady.
Policy positions in this profile are drawn from the candidate's campaign website, media interviews and questionnaire responses compiled by BallotReady. The Pasadena Ledger presents them to help voters understand where the candidate stands, not as endorsements of any position.
