SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Former Fox News contributor Steve Hilton on Monday announced his run for California governor.
Hilton, who also wrote the book, “Califailure,” said he’s hoping to “Make California Golden Again,” especially for the “working people” of the state.
“A big decision that I’ve made, which I can now share with you, that I am, in fact, going to be running for governor of California for 2026. I love this state. It’s the best place in the world as far as I’m concerned,” Hilton told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
“But after 15 years of one-party rule, this state is barely recognizable. And I honestly think that the 2026 election in California is a life-or-death moment because if we continue with this one-party rule by the Democrats, things are just gonna really start to deteriorate very rapidly,” he added.
The conservative commentator Hilton was born in the U.K. and graduated from New College at Oxford. He served as a senior advisor to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was the leader of the Conservative Party.
After moving to California in 2012, Hilton co-founded Crowdpac.com, a Silicon Valley tech start-up company.
He is the second major Republican to join the crowded field, to replace Governor Gavin Newsom, who is termed out of office.
Another prominent Republican who has already declared his gubernatorial campaign is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
The field is much more crowded on the Democratic ticket, including former President pro tempore of the California Senate Toni Atkins, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee and former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa.
The primary election for the California governor’s race is set for June 2, 2026.
