Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra have secured the top two spots in California's gubernatorial primary and will face off in the November 3 general election. The two candidates advanced through the state's open primary system, edging out billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer, to compete for the position of governor as a successor to term-limited Gavin Newsom.
Hilton, a British-born former Fox News host and former adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, is running as a Republican in one of the most solidly blue states in the country. Having arrived in the US 14 years ago, the former UK political operative received an endorsement from Donald Trump. Hilton has based his campaign on the argument that California desperately needs new leadership following more than 15 years of Democratic dominance.
Becerra is a veteran Democratic politician who previously served as a congressman, state attorney general, and US health secretary. While Hilton has advanced to the runoff, he faces steep odds and a difficult path in the general election because Democratic voters far outnumber Republicans in the state.