Former Fox News contributor Steve Hilton officially launches bid for California governor
TOMORROW NIGHT. BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT, ASHLEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THE RACE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR IS SET TO TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR. AND NOW WE’RE LEARNING CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA WILL NOT BE RUNNING. BONTA, WHO IS A DEMOCRAT, HAS BEEN CONSIDERING JUMPING INTO THE RACE TO REPLACE GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM WHEN HIS TERM HE TERMS OUT NEXT YEAR. AND IN AN EMAIL TO HIS SUPPORTERS, BONTA WROTE, QUOTE, WHILE I WAS ELECTED TO FIGHT FOR CALIFORNIANS NOT TO FIGHT TRUMP, THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT FIGHTING FOR CALIFORNIANS ALSO OFTEN MEANS STANDING UP TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S STRATEGY OF FINDING TO TRYING TO FLOOD THE ZONE AND OVERWHELM US WITH A FLURRY OF ILLEGAL ATTEMPTS TO HARM OUR PEOPLE. I’VE NEVER TAKEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING AS ATTORNEY GENERAL LIGHTLY. I’M CALIFORNIA’S PEOPLE’S ATTORNEY AND THE STATE’S TOP COP. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG JOB WITH A HUGE IMPACT ON THE DAILY LIFE OF EVERY CALIFORNIAN. BUT NOW IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. END OF QUOTE FROM ROB BONTA THAT RACE IS ALREADY CROWDED WITH MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE FILING PAPERWORK TO RUN. THAT INCLUDES LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ELENI KOUNALAKIS, FORMER STATE CONTROLLER BETTY YE
Former Fox News contributor Steve Hilton officially launches bid for California governor
Updated: 3:57 PM PDT Apr 21, 2025
Steve Hilton, an author, government policy adviser and a former Fox News contributor, officially launched his bid for California governor on Monday.”It’s time to make California Golden Again,” the Republican contender shared on the social media platform X.(Video Above: Attorney General Rob Bonta will not run for California governor)In his campaign launch video, Hilton shared his admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and said he hopes to “end the years of Democrat failure.”Hilton, who hails from the United Kingdom, has been mulling a campaign for a while. Last August, his spokesperson said he had been engaging in “serious conversations” across the state about how he could improve the lives of Californians.Last year, Hilton stopped by the Capitol to make recommendations to address the state’s housing crisis, one of his top priorities. Hilton joins an already crowded race for the governor’s seat, as current governor, Gavin Newsom, reaches his term limit in 2026.Another prominent Republican who has already declared his gubernatorial campaign is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.The field is much more crowded on the democratic ticket, including former President pro tempore of the California Senate Toni Atkins, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee and former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa.But the biggest name is still up in the air—former Vice President Kamala Harris. She will make a decision before the end of the summer on whether or not she will join the race. Some of the Democratic candidates said they would step out of the race if she chose to run.The primary election for the California governor’s race is set for June 2, 2026.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Steve Hilton, an author, government policy adviser and a former Fox News contributor, officially launched his bid for California governor on Monday.
“It’s time to make California Golden Again,” the Republican contender shared on the social media platform X.
(Video Above: Attorney General Rob Bonta will not run for California governor)
In his campaign launch video, Hilton shared his admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and said he hopes to “end the years of Democrat failure.”
Hilton, who hails from the United Kingdom, has been mulling a campaign for a while. Last August, his spokesperson said he had been engaging in “serious conversations” across the state about how he could improve the lives of Californians.
Last year, Hilton stopped by the Capitol to make recommendations to address the state’s housing crisis, one of his top priorities.
Hilton joins an already crowded race for the governor’s seat, as current governor, Gavin Newsom, reaches his term limit in 2026.
Another prominent Republican who has already declared his gubernatorial campaign is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
The field is much more crowded on the democratic ticket, including former President pro tempore of the California Senate Toni Atkins, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee and former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa.
But the biggest name is still up in the air—former Vice President Kamala Harris. She will make a decision before the end of the summer on whether or not she will join the race. Some of the Democratic candidates said they would step out of the race if she chose to run.
The primary election for the California governor’s race is set for June 2, 2026.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
