Steve Hilton, a Republican, is running for governor of California in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
He faces Democrat Xavier Becerra.
Hilton advanced from the June 2 primary with about 25% of the vote, according to CapRadio/CalMatters. His campaign centers on tax relief, deregulation and what he calls improving California's business climate.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Born: Aug. 25, 1969, in London, England
- Education: Bachelor of arts in philosophy, politics and economics, New College, Oxford
- Residence: Silicon Valley (moved there in 2012)
- Citizenship: Became a U.S. citizen in May 2021 and renounced his British citizenship in 2025
- Family background: His parents emigrated from Hungary to Britain during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, initially claiming asylum, according to Wikipedia
- Running mate: Former Democratic State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, announced as his lieutenant governor pick
- Campaign launch: April 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach
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.
In California, Hilton held academic positions at Stanford University as a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and a scholar at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. He also taught at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. He co-founded Crowdpac and co-founded Golden Together, a bipartisan research institute, in 2023.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Hilton's campaign website, his BallotReady questionnaire responses and an Axios interview published Tuesday, Oct. 6.
Taxes and budget: Hilton proposes eliminating California state income tax on the first $150,000 of income, according to his campaign website. In his Axios interview, he proposed an 8% flat state income tax rate on income above $150,000. He said the state budget has increased 50% after inflation over the past decade and called for cutting it back.
Economy and regulation: Hilton said he wants to "sunset our regulatory code, so regulations go away unless explicitly renewed," citing Idaho as a model that he said reduced regulation by 95%. He argued California has the worst business climate in America, citing an annual survey of chief executives.
Housing: Hilton said he would work to remove what he called bureaucratic obstacles to home building. He said only about 5% of California's land is developed and argued the state has space to build. He identified "hidden housing taxes, anti-housing regulations, and anti-housing lawsuits" as the main causes of the housing crisis.
Energy: Hilton proposes expanding oil production and refinery capacity in California to reduce gas prices, according to an ABC7 interview. He argued the state imports nearly 80% of the oil it uses despite having reserves, which he said increases costs and carbon emissions.
Education: Hilton said he would push for 100% of students meeting basic academic standards. He called for expanding charter schools, introducing school choice and making it easier to remove what he called incompetent teachers.
Public safety: Hilton said he would ensure law enforcement is "fully supported in enforcing the law" on issues including homelessness, drug markets, shoplifting and violent crime.
Endorsements
Hilton has received endorsements from President Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy, according to Wikipedia. U.S. Reps. Tom McClintock and Kevin Kiley have also endorsed him, according to State Affairs Pro. Additional endorsements include the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Bay Area GOP and California Congress of Republicans.
Policy positions and claims about the candidate's record are based on the candidate's own statements through campaign materials and questionnaire responses unless otherwise attributed.
