Steve Hilton has a new message for Californians who can't stand Donald Trump. In late July 2026 he took out a full-page ad in the San Francisco Chronicle and put a video on the air that opens, in his own words:

"I get it: maybe you hate Trump, MAGA or whatever."

Then ABC7 asked him the obvious follow-up — is Trump's endorsement a liability in California? — and he gave the anti-Trump voter his actual reason to vote for him:

"No, I think it's a positive thing... you'll have a governor with a good relationship with the president and his team and the rest of the administration."

"There's so many things where it would be better for Californians if we had a more constructive relationship with the federal government."

That's the offer. Not "I'll stand up to him." Not "here's where I break with him." If you hate Trump, elect the guy who gets along with Trump.

Why he needs these voters

Hilton isn't courting Trump-haters by choice. ABC7 reports that a Public Policy Institute of California poll had Democrat Xavier Becerra leading him 61% to 36%, and that since the June primary Becerra had raised more than $6 million to Hilton's roughly $812,000. A Republican can't win California without independents and moderate Democrats — the voters most likely to hate Trump.

So the ad tells them he's "not an ideologue":

"I'm just trying to be very honest and clear with people and say, look, I'm not an ideologue. I'm a pragmatic problem solver with business experience. Government reform experience."

"Yes, it's true. I'm a Republican. It's true that I was on Fox News. I'm endorsed by Trump. That's all true. But it's also true that I've got some positive, practical plans to make life better."

"Pragmatic problem solver" is a description, not a record. The record is the part he asks you to look past.

Access to Trump has always been the product

This isn't a new pitch dressed up for a new audience. It's the old pitch with a new opening line.

In August 2025, Hilton told Politico his closeness to the administration was his selling point:

"Yeah, we do have a relationship."

"I think I would be a good champion for California with the current administration."

He said he has "good personal relationships" with cabinet members, and name-dropped meetings the week before with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

A year later, the ad changed its first sentence. The sales pitch didn't change at all.

His own campaign says he isn't distancing himself

Don't take our word for it. Hilton's spokesman told the San Francisco Chronicle: "This is NOT Steve distancing himself from President Trump."

Asked to name one significant policy where Hilton differs from Trump, the campaign came up with exactly one: Hilton opposes the FCC backing AT&T's plan to end landline service.

Landlines. That's the break.

What "a more constructive relationship" looks like

We already know where Hilton lands when a reporter asks about Trump's most aggressive policy. Asked whether he supports Trump's immigration enforcement tactics, he said: "Everybody supports -- I can't imagine a single person who doesn't support what's been done to close our southern border and stop this absolutely outrageous undermining of the law we saw in the Biden years."

The tactics he was asked about belong to the enforcement operation national security officials described to ProPublica as "an unfettered and unaccountable national police force" — the one that has held more than 170 U.S. citizens against their will. Hilton didn't say he had concerns. He said he couldn't imagine anyone objecting to "what's been done to close our southern border."

Trump returned the favor with a "COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT."

A voter who hates Trump isn't looking for a smoother channel to the White House. They're looking for a governor who will say no. Hilton's own words say he won't be that governor.

The honest version of the ad

To its credit, the print ad does admit the basics: "Yes, I'm the Republican. The 'Fox News guy.' Endorsed by Trump."

The honest version would add two more lines, both of which he has already said out loud: I support Trump's immigration crackdown. And I'll use my relationships in his cabinet on California's behalf.

Those lines just don't sell to people who hate Trump.

Steve Hilton is asking Californians to forgive him for Trump while promising to deliver them more of Trump. He can't have it both ways. California deserves a governor who will stand up for it — not one auditioning to be Trump's man in Sacramento.

Sources

• In California governor's race, Steve Hilton looks to court voters wary of President Donald Trump — ABC7 News, July 23, 2026.
• Steve Hilton embraces his Trump endorsement. But in new ad, he asks voters to ignore it — Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, July 22, 2026.
• California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton touts 'personal relationship' with Trump admin — Tyler Katzenberger, Politico, August 27, 2025.
• Republican California governor candidate Steve Hilton says 'everybody supports' Trump's immigration policies — ABC7 Los Angeles, February 26, 2026.