Steve Hilton Is the Right Choice for California Governor Because He Offers Substantive Solutions to a State in Decline
Source: "Steve Hilton's California governor bid targets crime and high gas prices | Fox News." November 2, 2026. www.foxnews.com
The Gist
The author says California has gotten worse under 16 years of Democratic control, with high gas and housing costs, crime, and homelessness. He argues Steve Hilton has the most concrete plans to fix these problems and has campaigned harder than his opponent, so voters should pick him for governor.
Conclusion
Californians should vote for Republican Steve Hilton for governor, because he offers a credible and substantive path to fix the state's crime, cost-of-living, housing, and homelessness problems after 16 years of one-party Democratic rule.
Premises
- After 16 years of one-party Democratic rule, California is a state in decline, with among the highest gas and housing costs in the nation, heavy regulation of small businesses, and normalized homelessness, open drug use, and crime.
- Hilton has run a focused, substantive campaign with concrete plans, including no state income tax on the first $150,000 earned, a plan to cut gas to $3 a gallon by eliminating the gas tax, repealing the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and expanding in-state oil production, and housing reforms that streamline building codes and limit CEQA lawsuits.
- Hilton's public safety approach (tougher crime enforcement, support for police, enforcing the law against street encampments while expanding mental health and addiction treatment) matches voter sentiment, as shown by the roughly 70% passage of Proposition 36 and the endorsement of its architect, DA Jeff Reisig.
- Hilton has outworked his opponent, campaigning statewide and attending the LA Times forum, while Democrat Xavier Becerra kept a low profile and skipped it.
- California's problems such as gas prices, housing costs and crime are not partisan, so voters of any party have reason to want a change from the status quo.
Assumptions
- California's decline is primarily caused by Democratic one-party governance rather than other factors.
- Hilton's proposed policies would actually work and be implementable (e.g., gas at $3 a gallon, big income tax cuts without harmful budget impacts).
- Campaign effort and detailed plans are good predictors of governing performance.
- Support for Prop 36 translates into support for Hilton's broader agenda.
- Becerra would continue the status quo and would not improve outcomes.
- The author's personal experience of leaving Los Angeles reflects broader conditions in the state.