Former Fox News host Steve Hilton said he is “seriously considering running” for governor of California, which would make him the first Republican to lead the Golden State in a decade and a half.
The commentator and political adviser said in a Friday interview with “2Way Tonight” host Mark Halperin that he would soon be making a decision on whether to run during the 2026 cycle, during which former Vice President Kamala Harris could be an opponent.
“The way I’m putting it right now is, Kamala Harris is telling us that she is too, almost using that exact same language, and that she’ll make a decision by the end of the summer,” Hilton said.
“I’ll make mine much sooner than that,” he promised.
Watch:
There has not been a Republican chief executive in the state since California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in early 2011.
Hilton once more suggested in an opinion piece for Fox News that he could deliver a win, and that such a win is necessary for the future of California.
“President Donald Trump did better in California than any Republican presidential candidate for decades,” he wrote. “Republican voter registration has also been increasing while Democrat registration has been falling.”
“On Newsom’s watch, California has gone from being America’s crown jewel to its worst-run state. No fair-minded person could come to any other conclusion,” Hilton added.
“So, there you are: this could well be Gavin Newsom’s greatest legacy: flipping California red!”
Winning a statewide election as a Republican in California would be an uphill battle largely dependent on turning out the large minority of Republican voters.
Vice President Kamala Harris has signaled she may launch a bid for Governor of the Sunshine State but has indicated she will not make any final decision before the end of summer. (RELATED: Kamala Harris Reveals New Deadline To Make Major Political Decision)
Early polls in the next Democrat Party presidential nomination race—which are heavily reliant on name recognition at this point—indicate that the former vice president holds a significant lead over other potential White House contenders.
Experts have predicted Harris will only choose to pursue on option. Running and winning an election in 2026 as governor of the nation’s most populous state and home to the world’s fifth-largest economy would likely take a 2028 White House run off the table, allies and political analysts have indicated.
Harris served as San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general and represented the state in the U.S. Senate before joining Biden’s 2020 ticket and winning election as vice president.
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If it works, go for it Steve Hilton.
Go For It, Steve Hilton! California government needs some Common Sense and Competence in its leadership for a Change as well as a lot of “Swamp Draining” with its own state-wide DOGE efforts.