California could face a dramatic political shake-up this November if British-born strategist Steve Hilton turns his outsider campaign into an upset victory for governor, promising to slash taxes, roll back regulations and align the state more closely with President Donald Trump.
Hilton, a former adviser to ex-UK Prime Minister David Cameron, has re-emerged on the other side of the Atlantic as a Republican standard-bearer in one of America’s most liberal states. In an interview with the BBC, he cast California as a place of “rebel spirit” that has been mismanaged for years by Democratic leaders, arguing that high living costs, homelessness and crime are the result of what he described as a failing political establishment. He was quoted by the BBC as saying that his message is rooted less in party ideology than in “common sense” solutions.
Central to Hilton’s platform is a sweeping tax pledge. He has proposed that residents pay no state income tax on their first $100,000 of earnings, a change he says would put money back into the pockets of working- and middle-class Californians and help offset soaring housing and energy bills. He links that promise to a broader push to deregulate business, trim what he calls “bloat and waste” in Sacramento and make it easier for companies to invest and hire in the state.
Supporters argue that Hilton’s background in policy and media has helped him frame the race as a referendum on affordability and opportunity rather than on party labels. They point to frustration with slow wage growth, rising rents and the exodus of some employers to other states as signs that voters may be open to a change in direction. Hilton himself has highlighted polling showing many Californians believe the state is “going in the wrong direction”, suggesting that could give a challenger space to compete even in a strongly Democratic environment.
His critics see the campaign very differently. Allies of Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra, a former cabinet secretary in the Biden administration, warn that Hilton’s agenda would mean deep cuts to public services and a rollback of environmental protections. One Becerra campaign spokesperson was quoted by the BBC as saying that Hilton would effectively hand California over to Mr Trump and threaten gains on rights and social policy made in recent years.
Hilton’s close association with the former president is both an asset and a liability. Mr Trump has endorsed him and presented the race as a chance to extend his influence on the West Coast. Hilton counters that cooperation with Washington could help deliver cheaper energy and infrastructure investment, particularly if state rules on domestic production are relaxed. Opponents note that Mr Trump remains unpopular with many California voters and argue that the endorsement may harden Democratic and independent resistance.
On immigration, Hilton presents himself as a defender of what he calls the “legal immigrant community”, drawing on his own family history. He has sharply criticised California’s “sanctuary state” approach, saying he would end policies that restrict cooperation between state and federal authorities on immigration enforcement. Civil liberties groups and many local officials fear such a shift could increase deportations and deter migrants from reporting crime or seeking services.
The contest now serves as a test of whether a populist conservative message, backed by a national Republican figure, can break through in a state where Democrats dominate registrations and statewide offices. If Hilton manages to mobilise the millions of Republicans who reliably vote in presidential elections while peeling away enough independents unhappy with the status quo, the race could become far tighter than recent California gubernatorial contests.
