Key facts
- Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra will face each other in the California governor general election.
- Hilton, a former Fox News commentator endorsed by Donald Trump, secured the second runoff spot.
- Becerra led the primary vote count, narrowly defeating progressive Tom Steyer.
- The winner will succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.
- Both candidates come from immigrant backgrounds.
The race for California governor this fall will feature a contest between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra, a former state attorney general and health secretary, aims to continue the state's liberal policies, while Hilton, a former Fox News commentator endorsed by President Donald Trump, pledges to reverse them.
The winner will succeed Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, leading a state with approximately 39 million residents and one of the world's largest economies. The next governor will face challenges including a high cost of living, housing shortages, and homelessness.
Hilton is campaigning on a platform of change, appealing to voters frustrated with over 15 years of one-party Democratic rule. He has proposed making the first $100,000 of income tax-free, creating a homebuyer loan program, and freezing college tuition. Becerra, conversely, has pledged to address high energy costs and housing shortages by declaring states of emergency and freezing home insurance rates.
Becerra, whose parents were Mexican immigrants, has made resisting Trump's policies a central theme, highlighting his past actions as attorney general. Hilton, who moved from the United Kingdom in 2012, has also emphasized his immigrant background, drawing parallels to former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The primary results took time to finalize due to California's mail-in ballot counting process. Tom Steyer, a progressive candidate who invested heavily in his campaign, conceded to Becerra and urged his supporters to back the Democrat to prevent Hilton from winning.