By Jill McLaughlin

Republican Steve Hilton captured President Donald Trump’s endorsement on April 5 in his quest to become the next governor of California as he continues to lead in nearly every major poll leading to the June 2 primary.

“I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is running for Governor of California, for many years. He is a truly fine man, one who has watched as this once great State has gone to Hell,” Trump stated in part in a post on Truth Social April 5.

“Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so! With Federal help, and a Great Governor, like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before!”

Hilton said on X that he was “deeply honored” by the endorsement.

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump,” Hilton told The Epoch Times in an email on April 6. “California should be the best place in the world to follow your dreams, raise a family, start and grow a business. We have everything we need to lead our country again.

“But after 16 years of one-party rule, we have the highest poverty rate, highest unemployment rate, and highest cost of living in America,” Hilton added.

The British-American political commentator and entrepreneur is running on what he calls “commonsense ideas,” such as cutting gas taxes, in a state where the average price for a gallon of gas is $2 more than the national average. He is also calling for cutting electric bills in half, making homes more affordable by exempting the first $100,000 of home value from taxes.

“I’m grateful for the president’s support. Together, we can turn things around and make California truly Golden Again,” Hilton said.

Hilton’s Republican challenger, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, said the president’s endorsement is not what the race for governor of California was about. He promised to continue fighting for lower taxes and holding criminals accountable for all Californians.

“For me, this has never been about being the top Republican,” Bianco said in a video posted on X on April 6. “I have promised to be a governor for all Californians. I have spent 33 years fighting for Californians regardless of political party. This fight has never been about Democrats personally. It’s about fighting to change a failed progressive Democrat agenda that has made us less safe and our lives more expensive.”

Bianco has been endorsed by multiple county Republican parties, officials, and organizations within the state.

A rivalry heated up between the two Republican gubernatorial candidates in February when Hilton accused his opponent of aligning with BLM and highlighted a video in which the sheriff and other deputies are seen kneeling at a large BLM protest in 2020 after protest organizers demanded everyone there to “take a knee.” Bianco has said he did so to pray with protesters and de-escalate the tense situation rather than out of allegiance to the BLM movement.

As a county sheriff, Bianco has been focused on fighting crime, the cost of living, taxes, housing costs, government spending, and corruption. Last month, he opened an investigation into ballot counts from last year’s special election on Proposition 50, but had to halt the probe after multiple lawsuits and court filings.

Hilton has remained on top in most polls, including the independent University of California, Berkeley poll taken from March 9 to March 15. In that survey, Hilton received 17 percent of the votes, followed closely by Bianco with 16 percent.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at a news conference in Lake Elsinore, Calif., on Feb. 7, 2023. Officials announced the closure of poppy fields at Walker Canyon until the wildflower bloom subsides. Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP

California’s primary allows the top two “voter-nominated” candidates from any party to move on to the general election. If both Republicans won, it would ensure a Republican governorship.

Trump’s endorsement, however, could have killed the Republican Party’s dreams of capturing both top spots in the primary, according to political analyst Rob Pyers,  research director for California Target Book, a nonpartisan guide on the state’s legislative election campaigns.

“Trump’s endorsement of Steve Hilton likely frees up tens of millions of dollars for Democratic groups who would have otherwise had to spend heavily to elevate one of the two leading GOP gubernatorial candidates to avoid a Democratic lockout,” Pyres posted on X on April 6.

Democrats have a strong slate of candidates—from congressmembers to statewide elected officials and mayors—running to replace Newsom, who can’t run again after serving eight years, but some strategists say the field may be too crowded.

State Rep. Eric Swalwell appears to lead among the list of eight Democrats running for the position, according to pollsters.

Then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (R) answer questions after the governors spoke with Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden, on Dec. 2, 2008. Schwarzenegger, who left office in 2011, was the last Republican governor of California. Since then, the Democrats have held a supermajority in the state. William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks wrote an open letter to the candidates stating that California Democrats decided not to issue an endorsement.

“California Democrats chose not to endorse a candidate for Governor at our recent State convention and concerns around the impact of a crowded candidate field persist,” Hicks wrote.

He asked the candidates to assess whether they should stay in the race, saying the likelihood of a Republican lockout in the primary was low but not implausible.

Democratic candidate and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said Trump’s endorsement meant Hilton would focus on Trump’s priorities, including immigration enforcement.

Democratic candidate and billionaire businessman Tom Steyer said the state needed someone to oppose Trump.

“California demands a leader who stands up to Trump and lowers costs,” Steyer posted on X.