Mail-Ballot Uproar Jolts California Count

A Trump-backed conservative just broke through in deep-blue California — and the November race for governor is now set.

Story Highlights

Steve Hilton, a Republican backed by President Trump, advanced to the November general election in California’s governor’s race after the June 2026 primary.
Hilton held second place over Democrat Tom Steyer by roughly 300,000 votes, and analysts said Steyer was not closing the gap fast enough to catch up.
Hilton will face Democrat Xavier Becerra in the fall — a matchup that gives California conservatives a real choice for the first time in years.
California’s slow mail-ballot counting system delayed final results, but multiple outlets reported Hilton’s spot in the top two was effectively secure.

Hilton Punches Through a Crowded Field

Steve Hilton finished the California gubernatorial primary in second place, earning a spot in the November general election. With 58% of votes counted, Hilton led the Republican field with about 28% of the vote. CalMatters noted that a crowded Democratic field split likely voters, which allowed two Republican candidates to consistently poll near the top of the race heading into primary day. ^[5] The result puts a conservative on the November ballot in a state that has been dominated by Democrats for decades.

Hilton said he was confident he would advance and dismissed billionaire Tom Steyer’s chances of catching him. ^[4] NBC News analyst Steve Kornacki confirmed that Steyer was not closing the gap at the pace needed to overtake Hilton, even as late-arriving mail ballots — which tend to favor Democrats — continued to be counted. ^[1] The Los Angeles Times wrote that the result of the top-two primary “seems pretty clear” and that Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton would face off in November. ^[1]

California’s Slow Count Fuels Frustration

California allows mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted for days afterward. ^[1] The state’s official election results page warns that numbers “will change throughout the ballot counting canvass period” as mail, provisional, and cured ballots are added. ^[11] That system is legal and standard in California, but it creates a long wait before any race is officially certified. For voters used to election night answers, the delay feels unsettling — even when nothing improper is happening.

Hilton raised a sharper concern during the count. He said a postal worker came forward claiming that ballots received after Election Day were accepted if they had handwritten dates on them — not just official postmarks. ^[4] Hilton argued that practice “undermines confidence” in the election and opens the door to problems. Those claims have not been independently verified, and no official finding of wrongdoing has been reported. Still, the allegation adds to a growing national debate about mail-ballot rules and how much room they leave for error or abuse.

What This Means for November

Hilton will face Xavier Becerra, California’s Democratic attorney general, in the November general election. ^[1] Becerra enters the race with a large structural advantage in a state where registered Democrats far outnumber Republicans. But Hilton is a well-known face from his years as a Fox News host and political commentator, and his Trump endorsement gives him a national fundraising base. ^[2] CalMatters confirmed that no Republican-versus-Republican matchup will occur, meaning conservative voters have a clear choice. ^[12]

California has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011. Hilton’s path to victory is steep, but his presence on the November ballot is itself a sign that voter frustration with Democratic leadership — over housing costs, homelessness, high taxes, and crime — has created at least an opening. Millions of Californians who feel left behind by one-party rule now have a candidate who speaks directly to their concerns. Whether that is enough to win in November remains to be seen, but getting to the general election is a real first step.

Steve Hilton, Trump ally, advances in California governor primary, to face Newsom. Signals Trump's enduring influence.

— Vermouth (@vermoutharc) June 9, 2026