Steve Hilton, a former Downing Street adviser to David Cameron and ex-Fox News host, is leading in the polls to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor. With less than six weeks to go before the primary, Hilton narrowly heads a fractured field of Democrats in a state where Republicans have long struggled to win statewide office.
Hilton and fellow Republican Riverside County sheriff Chad Bianco have been boosted by disarray among Democrats, where no clear frontrunner has emerged and one leading contender, Eric Swalwell, dropped out after sexual assault allegations. Hilton also leads in individual campaign donors and ranks third in fundraising behind Democrat Tom Steyer and centrist Matt Mahan.
Hilton has campaigned across California, using his low-key British charm and pithy phrases to argue that one-party Democratic rule has been disastrous. He has visited farmers, suburban mothers and Latino small business owners, calling for a dramatic change. His campaign stops are crowded and energetic, bucking the convention that California campaigns are won on television.
Victory in November remains a long shot, but Democrats worry about losing control of the richest US state for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. Under California's open primary system, the top two vote-getters advance regardless of party, raising a slim chance that Hilton and Bianco could shut out Democrats entirely.
Hilton seeks a 'political revolution', hoping Democratic voters will cross party lines due to the state's high cost of living, poverty rates and unemployment. Polls show most Californians think the state is heading in the wrong direction, with inflation and housing costs top concerns.
