Donald Trump endorsed former Fox News host Steve Hilton in the California governor’s race on Monday morning, dealing a potentially fatal blow to GOP rival Chad Bianco’s campaign — and hurting Republicans’ hopes of keeping Democrats out of the runoffs.
Trump said, “I have known and respect Steve Hilton for many years, who is running for governor of California. He is a really good man who has watched a once great state go to hell.” Truth Socialwritten on","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116356081038721731","_Identification": :"0000019d-64c1-d763-a5dd-7ec7a9180002","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-64c1-d763-a5dd-7ec7a9180003","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Written on Truth SocialBefore lamenting the state’s leadership under Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Steve can change this before it’s too late, and, as President, I will help him do that!”
Trump’s intervention comes despite some California Republicans arguing that the party’s best, albeit narrow, shot at the governor’s mansion depended on staying out of the contest in this heavily Democratic state. Republicans were hoping that a large field of Democrats would split the vote in California’s jungle primary, allowing two Republicans to advance. But with Trump promoting Hilton, it becomes more unlikely that she and Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, will be able to evenly split the GOP vote and keep the Democrats out of the run-off.
This support could also save Democrats from having to spend heavily to promote one of the Republican candidates themselves – a strategy they have adopted in many races in the past.
Rob Pierce, political data specialist at California Target Book, a non-partisan campaign almanac, said, “Trump’s endorsement of Steve Hilton is likely to save hundreds of millions of dollars for Democratic groups, who would otherwise have to spend heavily to elevate one of the two leading GOP gubernatorial candidates to avoid the Democratic lockout.” written on x","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://x.com/rpyers/status/2041027099126100309?s=20","_Identification": :"0000019d-64c1-d763-a5dd-7ec7a9180004","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-64c1-d763-a5dd-7ec7a9180005","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Written on X.
While both Hilton and Bianco openly invited the president’s endorsement, Hilton, who has spoken with Trump over the years, told POLITICO on Thursday that she had not spoken with Trump about the race.
“I would be honored to have the president’s endorsement, but I think the California governor’s race is close to the last thing on his mind right now,” said Hilton, a former policy adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron. “He has a lot going on, and so I never discussed it with him.”
The endorsement comes ahead of California GOP delegates voting at their convention in San Diego this coming weekend on whether to endorse in the race. Getting approval from the party seemed impossible given the large margin of support required and the many low-polling candidates ready to snatch votes from party workers. But Trump’s involvement could change that calculation.
Still, in a state where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans and Trump is widely hated, Hilton tried to avoid nationalizing the election.
“The media’s obsession and California Democrats’ obsession with Trump is not doing any good to our state. We have to focus on California issues and that’s what I’m doing,” Hilton said late last week.
He said he sees “absolutely no” risk in Trump running before the primary election. Both he and Bianco are joining forces with each other in an effort to consolidate the Republican vote — including at the Trump-driven Saturday night debate. Former head of the Kennedy Center","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/grenell-kennedy-center-President-renovation","_Identification": :"0000019d-64c1-d763-a5dd-7ec7a9180006","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-64c1-d763-a5dd-7ec7a9180007","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Former head of the Kennedy Center and Special Envoy Richard Grenell.
“There is strong support for the president in California,” Hilton said. “Look at how many millions of votes he got, more votes than any previous Republican presidential candidate for a long time in 2024.”
