Republican Steve Hilton, a former UK political operative turned Fox News personality, has secured a spot in the November general election for California governor. He will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former congressman, state attorney general, and US health secretary.
Hilton's advancement, a notable achievement for a recent immigrant, followed an endorsement from Donald Trump. The Associated Press projected Hilton would finish in the top two in the nonpartisan primary held on 2 June. Initially leading the count, Hilton was later overtaken by Becerra as more mail-in ballots were tallied.
Hilton, who left Britain for the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012 and became a US citizen in 2021, has surprised former UK colleagues. Known as the 'pint-sized Rasputin' of Conservative politics, he was a key adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron and coined slogans like 'hug a hoodie'.
Despite his primary success, Hilton faces an uphill battle in heavily Democratic California. Trump's endorsement may be a liability in a state where the president is deeply unpopular. Democrats have won the last three governor's races with about 60% of the vote and hold a nearly two-to-one voter registration advantage.
Hilton portrays himself as an outsider living 'the California dream', but his campaign has faced mockery, such as when he referred to a hard-shell tortilla as a 'street taco'. He vows to 'save California' and argues his experience in a UK coalition government proves he can work across party lines.
