The race for California governor in 2026 is taking shape with the entrance of Republican Steve Hilton, who announced his candidacy to succeed outgoing Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.
Hilton, a former Fox News host and longtime conservative commentator, made his decision public in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.
“A big decision that I’ve made, which I can now share with you, [is] that I am, in fact, going to be running for governor of California for 2026,” Hilton said.
“I love this state. It’s the best place in the world as far as I’m concerned.”
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Hilton said the decision came in response to what he described as a dramatic decline in the state’s quality of life under long-term Democratic control.
“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 said.
Born in the United Kingdom, Hilton graduated from New College at Oxford and previously served as a senior advisor to former British Prime Minister David Cameron.
He moved to California in 2012 and co-founded the Silicon Valley startup Crowdpac.com. He later hosted the Fox News Channel program The Next Revolution from 2017 to 2023.
In his campaign announcement video, Hilton drew a comparison between California and the U.K. in the 1970s. “[California] really reminds me of Britain in the 1970s. The UK was called the ‘sick man of Europe,’” Hilton said.
“There’s no other way of looking at California today than the ‘sick man of America.’”
Hilton is promoting the slogan “Make California Golden Again,” aiming his message at working families who he says have been neglected.
He also pointed to core issues such as crime, homelessness, and the cost of living.
“We have the highest taxes in the country, but also the highest rate of poverty. You have one-third of Californians who can’t meet their basic needs. We have the highest housing costs. It’s the number one reason people are leaving the state,” Hilton said.
California has seen hundreds of thousands of residents leave the state annually, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many cite rising costs, crime, and government policies as key reasons for their departures.
“We have a combination of idiots and ideologues who’ve been running this state into the ground, ruining what I consider to be the greatest state and the greatest nation on earth, and it’s time for change,” Hilton stated.
It’s time to make California Golden Again. We need some balance here after 15 years of Democrat one-party rule. Positive, practical policies that actually help people, not ideological crusades. It's why I am running for governor of California ☀️ pic.twitter.com/Vfu1T18zGR
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) April 21, 2025
While the state remains dominated by Democrats in the legislature, recent polling suggests an opening for Republican candidates.
According to the Sacramento Bee, 48% of likely California voters said they would consider backing a Republican for governor in 2026.
On the Democratic side, multiple contenders are already positioning themselves for a run. Among the names reportedly considering a bid are Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former Congresswoman Katie Porter.
Most notably, former Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly weighing a gubernatorial run following her 2024 presidential defeat.
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If Harris enters the race, she is expected to be a dominant contender in the Democratic field.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has also launched a campaign on the Republican side, making Hilton the second high-profile GOP entrant in the race.
Hilton emphasized that California once symbolized the American Dream, a vision he said has faded.
“California represented the best of America. I think for many people, when they thought of the American dream, they thought of California and the California Dream,” he said.
Governor Newsom is term-limited and will leave office in 2026, opening a rare opportunity for a leadership change in one of the most populous and politically influential states in the country.
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If you have watched his program on Fox News, you see a well-balanced, very educated individual that has a positive attitude regarding America. He always brings out positive points regarding his state, California, giving insight and vision toward improving all Californian’s viewpoints. I for one would enjoy an outsider from politics to replace the awful, demented politics of Gavin Newsom. 2026 will be a prime time to change from the Marxist, Socialist politicians that will stream out of the administration of Newsom. New blood and new hope for our devastated economy, overtaxed, over regulated Democratic policies that are stifling our citizens who have not left this terrible run state. Steve Hilton, an amazing choice for Governor for the Republican side, hopefully we’ll also see many new Republican candidates to challenge the Democratic Socialists who will also be running with no new ideas but to stifle and overtax those of us who have not left this terrible state run by again Marxist/Socialist Democrats.