In 2016, then-presidential candidate Trump famously asked Black voters, “What do you have to lose?”
Trump challenged African American voters to rethink their long-standing allegiance to the , which, he rightly claimed, took them for granted and had failed to deliver on the most pressing demands of Black families, including providing their kids with a good education.
Steve Hilton, a of deep blue California, should be posing that same question to Golden State voters.
California is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, largely because of decisions made by Democrats who have controlled the state with a two-thirds supermajority in the Legislature since 2018 and have occupied the governors mansion since 2011.
Not only is California unaffordable, but the state also ranks high in homelessness, poverty and , and is bleeding both businesses and residents fed up with high taxes and suffocating regulations.
In a recent CBS News poll, half of California candidate who promised “change.” A common-sense, pro-growth candidate, Hilton, a former Fox News host and adviser to the conservative government of David Cameron in the U.K., would not just provide change in the Golden State; he would bring a revolution.
Even some Democrats, like gubernatorial candidate and tech entrepreneur Matt Mahan, are saying the state should change course. Mahan, a Silicon Valley and Harvard graduate who has served for three years as mayor of San Jose, says, “We dont need MAGA, but we dont need more of the same,” and has criticized his party on numerous issues, including its .
Primary day in California is June 2. began Monday. At the moment, Hilton is leading a large field of candidates; as unimaginable as it may seem, the Republican has a shot.
Up until recently, Hiltons odds were even better because of the way Californias works and because a slew of Democrats were in the running.
The state hosts an open primary, so the top two candidates will face off on Election Day in November, regardless of party. A few weeks ago, Hilton and fellow Republican Chad Bianco, sheriff of Riverside County, were leading the crowded field, with more than eight Democrats splitting their partys vote. If Hilton and Bianco had finished first and second in the June vote, California would have been on course to elect its first Republican governor since .
Democrats were so panicked by that possibility that they frantically called for members of their party to exit the race. When that failed, they appear to have engineered the end of Democratic Rep. s run, and career, by revealing sexual assault accusations that had been circling the congressman for some time. It was a merciless but brilliant move. Swalwell was leading at the time but could have become a political liability if the unsavory allegations had surfaced at a critical time in the campaign.
Also, Swalwells exit boosted the campaigns of billionaire environmental activist and Xavier Becerra, a former Biden Cabinet official. Both are now running just behind Hilton. Bianco has dropped to fourth place.
If Hilton squares off against Steyer, Becerra or another Democrat, could he still win? Certainly, it would be an uphill battle. About 46% of California voters are registered Democrats, with the balance roughly split among Republicans, independents and other voters. Also, Hilton has been endorsed by President , whose approval rating in California is below 40%.
On the other hand, the Democratic field is weak, even by that partys standards. A recent piece in The New York Times discussed Democrats dismay that former Vice President had not entered the gubernatorial race, with officials conceding that the field is “lackluster.” A year ago, Harris was the favorite contender, according to an Emerson poll, with about 31% of voters and 49% of Democrats backing her run. Instead of jumping into the governors race, Harris has been hinting at a
