Overview
- Trump, in a Truth Social post late Sunday, endorsed Steve Hilton for governor and attacked Gov. Gavin Newsom’s record on taxes, crime and outmigration.
- Hilton, a former Fox News host and one-time adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, welcomed the backing and said it marked a turning point for the race.
- Under California’s top-two primary, where all candidates share one ballot and only the top two advance regardless of party, analysts say the nod is likely to unite Republican voters behind Hilton and undercut Chad Bianco.
- That shift reduces the chance of a Republican-versus-Republican November and increases the likelihood Hilton faces a Democrat, a matchup that could be harder for him given Trump’s unpopularity in the state.
- Recent UC Berkeley IGS polling showed Hilton and Bianco near the front with several Democrats close behind, and the next key dates include a CNN debate on May 5 and the June 2 primary.