Republican Steve Hilton will advance to the November election in California’s gubernatorial race, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.
Hilton, a former Fox News host who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, will face former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat.
Hilton and Becerra were among a crowded field of contenders in Tuesday’s primary election who vied to succeed term-limited incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom. Billionaire Democratic candidate Tom Steyer, who spent more than $200 million on his gubernatorial campaign, will finish in third place.
Concern had grown among Democrats that their scattered field of candidates could split the vote enough for Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, another Republican in the primary, to be the top two vote-getters in the contest. But Trump’s endorsement of Hilton in April helped consolidate GOP support.
Hilton responded to similar comments in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett this week, saying, “I think that actually this year could be different.” He claimed Californians are frustrated with high taxes and that a majority of them believe the state is going in the wrong direction.
