Overview
- Trump’s endorsement, posted late Sunday on Truth Social, backed Steve Hilton over fellow Republican Chad Bianco in the crowded race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.
- Strategists say the nod is likely to pull GOP voters from Bianco to Hilton ahead of the June 2 primary, lowering the odds of a two-Republican runoff.
- California’s top-two system places every candidate on one primary ballot and advances only the two highest vote-getters to November, so a splintered Democratic field becomes less risky if Republicans rally around one contender.
- A UC Berkeley IGS poll in March showed Hilton at 17% and Bianco at 16%, with Democrats such as Eric Swalwell and Katie Porter in the low teens and many voters still undecided.
- Analysts across outlets report the backing could help Hilton secure a November slot yet weaken him there given Trump’s unpopularity in the state, and it may also reduce the need for Democratic groups to spend to avoid a GOP-versus-GOP matchup.