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Steve Hilton, the Republican nominee for governor of California, is facing an acute version of the challenge familiar to GOP candidates nationwide: how to make the most of an endorsement from President Donald Trump as the president’s popularity wanes.
In an interview with Semafor, Hilton acknowledged the challenge he faces in a state Trump lost by 20 points two years ago.
“I think the starting point is that we’ve got millions of moderate Democrats and independents in California. There’s no secret. They don’t like the president, to put it mildly, but they are really desperate for change in California,” Hilton said.
In a recent campaign ad, he told voters, “Maybe you hate Trump. Maybe you hate Republicans. I don’t care. Politicians screaming doesn’t lower gas prices. Our utility bills are insane. Life here has become impossible for anyone who isn’t already rich. We are going to fix that.”
At the same time, Hilton said Trump’s support could help him with the Republican base. He needs all the help he can get: Hilton currently trails Democrat Xavier Becerra by a wide margin.
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Hilton faces a similar balancing act on another defining California issue: artificial intelligence.
California is home to the leading frontier labs driving the AI boom, but a vast majority of state residents share the anti-data center sentiment sweeping the country.
On AI safety, Hilton struck a position closer to Trump’s, describing what he called a “completely ludicrous hysteria going on right now” around AI, arguing that California should prioritize the technology’s economic opportunities rather than rush into new rules.
“I think panic driven policymaking usually ends in disaster with a whole bunch of unintended consequences,” Hilton said. “I would favor the opportunity side of the argument rather than the doom side.”