Steve Hilton, former Fox News host, declared his candidacy for California governor in 2026, aiming to replace the incumbent Gavin Newsom, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits. Hilton, known for his populist and anti-establishment views, criticizes the Democratic governance of California, which he discusses in his book, 'Califailure.' Despite his ambitions, experts view his campaign as a long shot given that registered Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans in California, and no Republican has won a statewide office since 2010.
"We've got to end the one-party rule that got us into this mess," Hilton said in a video posted to social media Monday.
"It's an extremely steep uphill fight for him," said Dan Schnur, who teaches political messaging at the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.
"Hilton could be eager for a showdown with Harris. It's time to end the years of Democrat failure," he says over an image of Harris in his announcement video.
"Political experts characterize Hilton's bid as a long shot. California has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006."
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