Steve Hilton leads in polls for governor with less than two weeks before the primary, while Spencer Pratt is energizing progressive voters in Los Angeles. If either advances to the general election, they would campaign as conservatives in a super-blue state and city where most voters dislike President Trump. Trump endorsed Hilton and urged Pratt to do well, while also making claims about election rigging and praising his performance with Hispanics. Latino voters are described as a swing bloc that can decide local, state, and national outcomes, especially when motivated by anger. Recent years show Latinos drifting rightward in California due to dissatisfaction with Democratic policies, with notable shifts toward Trump in Southern California. Hilton holds town halls in Latino-majority cities and appears with Gloria Romero, who encourages disaffected Latinos to consider alternatives to voting Democrat. Pratt uses Spanish-language, AI-generated music content to build support.
"If the former Fox News commentator and the reality television bad boy move on to November's general election, they'll be running as conservatives in a super-blue state and city where most voters loathe President Trump. The president endorsed Hilton last month, posting on social media that he "is a truly fine man, one who has watched as this once great State has gone to Hell." On Wednesday, Trump said he wants Pratt to "do well ... I heard he's a big MAGA person," before claiming that California elections are rigged and that he would have won the state two years ago "if we had Jesus Christ come down and count the votes" because "I do great with Hispanics.""
"Trump was right about one thing - the importance of Latino voters. If Hilton and Pratt are to pull off historic upsets, they'll need this bloc, which has emerged as a mercurial swing vote in local, state and national elections - but only if stirred into action by anger. And if ever there was a year for Latino anger, 2026 is it. In recent years, Latinos in California have drifted rightward as they tire of Democratic policies, from L.A. City Hall to Sacramento."
"Rick Caruso captured a majority of the Latino vote in his unsuccessful bid for L.A. mayor four years ago, and there are more Latino Republicans in the state legislature than ever. Some of the most Latino areas in Southern California saw the biggest shifts toward Trump from 2020 to 2024. Hilton has held town halls in small, Latino-majority cities across a state that's about 41% Latino. He frequently appears alongside lieutenant governor candidate Gloria Romero, a pioneer in challenging disaffected Latinos to not always vote Democrat."
"Pratt has shared AI-generated salsa and merengue songs that hail him as a savior and uses Span"
#california-politics #latino-voters #conservative-campaigns #los-angeles-mayoral-race #election-strategy
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