Steve Hilton opened his general-election push Wednesday in Boyle Heights with a straight-to-camera appeal to Californians who say they cannot stand President Donald Trump but are worn down by rising costs. His campaign rolled out full-page newspaper ads built around the question, "Can you be anti-Trump and still vote for me?" and a checklist aimed at voters anxious about gas, electricity and housing bills. The move signaled a bid to peel off independents and Democrats by arguing that much of what hurts in California is homegrown, not handed down from Washington.
Full-Page Ad Tries To Hand Voters A Permission Slip
Hilton bought full-page ads in the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle that feature lines such as "I can't stand Trump, but I'm not happy with the way things have been run in California lately" and "I want to fight climate change, but $6.00 gas is crazy!" according to the Los Angeles Times. The copy wraps a list of proposed fixes - lower gas and electricity costs, tax cuts and cheaper homes - in the language of everyday frustration rather than partisan talking points. The campaign also pushed out a 30-second television spot to hammer home the affordability theme.
Kickoff Across From A Scorched Symbol
The launch took place at a Boyle Heights auto body shop across the street from the Lineage cold-storage warehouse that burned for days in June, a location the campaign labeled a symbol of "Democrat failure," according to The Associated Press. Framing his remarks with a charred industrial backdrop, Hilton tied his pitch to visible neighborhood damage. He was joined by lieutenant-governor nominee Gloria Romero, who spoke to the crowd in both English and Spanish. The setting let Hilton act out his argument that what he calls governance failures show up not in policy papers, but in smoke, disruption and lost livelihoods down the block.
Polls Show A Steep Climb Ahead
A Public Policy Institute of California survey conducted in late June and early July found Xavier Becerra leading Hilton 61% to 36% among likely voters, highlighting how high the bar remains for any Republican in a statewide race; the PPIC report also noted that voters rank environmental concerns and affordability among their top issues. No Republican has captured statewide office in California since 2006, a streak that underscores the challenge, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hilton's team argues that a relentless focus on bread-and-butter costs can shave those margins by offering what it casts as a practical alternative to long-entrenched leadership.
Trump Endorsement Puts Message On A Tightrope
Hilton has publicly embraced Trump's endorsement while saying he does not expect the former president to do much campaigning in California, a balancing act detailed by KQED. The candidate is trying to keep his GOP base happy with the backing of a national figure, even as he tells swing voters his agenda is squarely aimed at state-level problems rather than national culture wars. Democratic critics counter that the endorsement undercuts Hilton's outreach to anti-Trump voters and ties him tightly to a polarizing brand.
Neighborhood Anger Sets The Scene
The decision to stage the kickoff across from the burned warehouse spotlighted ongoing neighborhood outrage over smoke, odors and the slow cleanup following the Lineage fire, which local outlets report was finally knocked down only after days of firefighting; LAist has chronicled residents' complaints about health worries and declining quality of life. By planting his podium there, Hilton sought a stark visual of what his campaign calls policy breakdowns, as well as a concrete example of the affordability and safety issues he promises to tackle. Community leaders and public-health advocates, for their part, argue the priority should be testing, remediation and long-term oversight, not turning the site into a campaign backdrop.
Becerra's team has dismissed Hilton's appeal as more branding exercise than conversion effort, with a spokesman labeling him "Trump's puppet in California" and insisting that his close alignment with the former president makes the pitch to anti-Trump voters implausible, according to The Associated Press. With PPIC and other polling showing Becerra starting with a wide lead, the contest will test whether Hilton's full-page plea and retail politicking can actually produce the crossover votes his campaign insists are still sitting on the table this fall.
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