Winners of CA Gubernatorial Primary Declared: Who Will Face Off In November?

SACRAMENTO — Republican Steve Hilton will face Democrat Xavier Becerra in the general election for California governor in November, according to the Associated Press, which called the race Tuesday, nearly a week after votes were cast at the polls.

The AP called the race for Hilton late Tuesday afternoon, when the Secretary of State's Office issued its latest vote-counting
update. That count showed Becerra leading the field of gubernatorial candidates with 2,327,237 votes, or 27.9 percent. Hilton was in second place with 2,076,863 votes, or 24.9 percent. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer was in third place with 1,883,592 votes, or 22.6 percent, meaning Steyer did not qualify for the November election. The Associated Press previously determined Becerra had won enough votes.

"There's nowhere better than California. But a majority of Californians — 56% in a recent poll — believe our state is on the wrong track and needs change," Hilton said in a statement late Tuesday after the updated returns were released. "That is the majority we will now have the honor of leading to victory in November, and I can't wait to get started on the most high-energy campaign this state has ever seen.''

Hilton faces a challenging electorate in November, as California has nearly twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans. If elected, he would be the first GOP candidate to win statewide office since 2006.

During the campaign, Hilton attacked Democrats over the state’s high cost of living, the homelessness crisis and other issues. He pledged to lower prices for everything from gas to housing; make Californians’ first $100,000 free of income tax; create a loan program for first-time homebuyers; and freeze in-state tuition at public colleges.

Hilton was endorsed in April by President Donald Trump, which helped him consolidate support among Republican voters in the primary but could be a liability in the general election.

Hilton, who has never held elected office, came to the United States in 2012 from the United Kingdom, where he was an adviser to Conservative Party officials, including former Prime Minister David Cameron. He had a show on Fox News from 2017 to 2023 and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.

He called Becerra, a former state attorney general and Biden administration health secretary, "the ultimate career politician."

Steyer conceded Tuesday and urged his supporters to back Becerra.

“It would be a travesty for Steve Hilton to win the governorship, and Californians must unite behind Xavier Becerra to ensure he does not,” Steyer said in a statement.

Becerra officially kicked off his gubernatorial runoff campaign in Los Angeles on Tuesday, while Hilton also visited the Southland to call for changes in California's extended vote-counting process.

"We know we're in (the runoff), so we're going to get out there and continue to talk to people the way we did during the primary," Becerra told reporters. "And we hope that folks stay engaged and that we have an even bigger turnout for the November general election."

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this story.