Will California Elect a Republican Governor? Steve Hilton Thinks He Can Win

On with Kara Swisher

California is one of the most Democratic states in the nation. But former Fox News host and British American Steve Hilton is mounting a long-shot bid to be the state’s next Republican governor. He’s banking on voters’ disaffection with the state’s notoriously high cost of living to beat Democrat Xavier Becerra in November. 


While Hilton scored President Trump’s endorsement ahead of the primary, he’ll need to win over a lot of Democrats and Independents who loathe Trump to have any shot at winning. Is that even possible for a Republican in 2026?   


Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.


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California is one of the most Democratic states in the nation. But former Fox News host and British American Steve Hilton is mounting a long-shot bid to be the state’s next Republican governor. He’s banking on voters’ disaffection with the state’s notoriously high cost of living to beat Democrat Xavier Becerra in November. 


While Hilton scored President Trump’s endorsement ahead of the primary, he’ll need to win over a lot of Democrats and Independents who loathe Trump to have any shot at winning. Is that even possible for a Republican in 2026?   


Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2026-08-10 61 min
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