In 2016, then-presidential candidate Trump famously asked black voters “What do you have to lose?”
Trump challenged African-American voters to rethink their long-standing allegiance to the Democrat Party, which, he rightly claimed, took them for granted and had failed to deliver on the most pressing demands of African-American families, including providing their kids with a good education.
and former Fox News host, running to become governor of deep blue California, should be posing that same question to Golden State voters. California is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, entirely because of decisions made by Democrats who have controlled the state with a two-thirds supermajority in the legislature since 2018 and also occupied the governors mansion since 2011. Not only is California unaffordable, the state also ranks high in homelessness, poverty and illegal immigration, and is bleeding both businesses and residents fed up with high taxes and suffocating regulations.
In a recent CBS poll, half of California voters said they wanted a candidate that promised “change”. Common sense, pro-growth Hilton, former advisor to the conservative government of David Cameron in the UK, would not just provide change in the Golden State; he would bring a revolution.
Even some Democrats, like gubernatorial candidate and tech entrepreneur Matt Mahan, are saying the state should change course. Mahan, a Silicon Valley and Harvard graduate who has served for three years as mayor of San Jose, says, “We dont need MAGA, but we dont need more of the same”, and has criticized his party on numerous issues, including its handling of homelessness and .
Primary day in California is June 2; began yesterday. At the moment, Hilton is leading a large field of candidates; as unimaginable as it may seem, the Republican has a shot.
Up until recently, Hiltons odds were even better because of the way Californias election primary works and because a slew of Democrats were in the running.
The state hosts an open primary, so the two top candidates will face off come Election Day in November, regardless of party. A few weeks ago, Hilton and fellow Republican Chad Bianco, Sheriff of Riverside County, were leading the crowded field, with more than eight Democrats splitting their partys vote. If Hilton and Bianco had finished first and second in the June vote, California would have been on course to elect its first Republican governor since .
Democrats were so panicked by that possibility they frantically called for members of their party to exit the race. When that failed, they appear to have engineered the termination of Democrat s run, and career, by revealing sexual assault accusations that had been circling the Congressman for some time. It was a merciless but brilliant move. Swalwell was leading at the time but could have become a political liability should the unsavory allegations have surfaced at a critical time in the campaign.
Also, Swalwells exit boosted the campaigns of billionaire environmental activist and Xavier Becerra, former Biden cabinet official. Both are now running just behind Hilton. Bianco has dropped to fourth place.
If Hilton squares off against Steyer, Beccera or another Democrat, could he still win? It would certainly be an uphill battle. About 46% of California voters are registered Democrats, with the balance being roughly split between and Independents. Also, Hilton has been endorsed by President Trump, whose approval rating in California is below 40%.
On the other hand, the Democrat field is weak, even by that partys standards. A recent piece in the New York Times discussed her partys dismay that former Vice President had not entered the gubernatorial race, with officials conceding that the field is “lackluster”. A year ago, Harris was the favorite contender, according to an Emerson poll, with about 31% of voters and 49% of Democrats backing her run. Ins
