Key facts
- President Trump's voter fraud accusations in California are creating challenges for Republican gubernatorial nominee Steve Hilton.
- Trump's endorsement is a sought-after asset in GOP politics but may be an obstacle in California where Trump is unpopular.
- Trump reiterated his voter fraud claims, stating they helped Hilton secure the nomination quickly.
- California's vote counting process, which allows ballots postmarked by election day to be counted up to seven days later, has been cited as a reason for delays.
- Hilton has acknowledged issues with the state's vote tabulation system but has not supported fraud claims.
- Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra is attempting to tie Hilton to Trump, highlighting the president's low approval ratings in California.
- Polls indicate a significant lead for Becerra over Hilton in the gubernatorial race.
President Trump's persistent, unfounded claims of voter fraud in California are creating a challenging environment for Republican gubernatorial nominee Steve Hilton, who is running in a state where the president is deeply unpopular.
Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, reiterated his accusations of voter fraud, suggesting his warnings helped Hilton secure the nomination quickly due to "too much heat on them." California officials have previously stated that vote tabulation can take days or weeks due to the state's rules for handling mail-in ballots, which allow them to be counted if postmarked by election day and received up to seven days later.
While some Trump allies have supported his fraud claims, other senior Republicans, like Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have acknowledged issues with the speed of vote counting without calling it fraud. Democrats, including Rep. Ro Khanna, have also pushed back on fraud claims, emphasizing the need for faster tabulation.
Hilton himself has largely distanced himself from fraud allegations but has called for changes to the state's vote tabulation system, stating vigilance is needed to prevent people from being let down. He has presented himself as a change agent against 16 years of Democratic control, attributing California's economic woes to Democratic policies rather than Trump.
Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra has actively sought to link Hilton to Trump, highlighting the president's low approval ratings in California. Polls, such as one from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, show Becerra leading Hilton by a significant margin.
Republican strategists note that while Trump's endorsement is a factor, the larger challenge for Hilton is the state's unfavorable voter registration numbers, with Democrats significantly outnumbering Republicans. Some suggest that even distancing oneself from Trump does not guarantee a better electoral outcome in California, citing the example of Steve Garvey's loss.