The campaign dispute began with an open-ended answer about a possible transportation-funding option. On Tuesday, Chris Pratt had urged his 43 million Instagram followers to vote, posting a photo of himself in a black baseball hat with an “I voted” sticker and calling it “like a gold star, but patriotic.”
Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for California governor, replied by urging people not to vote for his Democratic opponent, Xavier Becerra, according to The Mercury News. Hilton focused on Becerra’s recent comments about a vehicle-miles-traveled tax, a fee based on how many miles people drive.
What Becerra Actually Said About the Mileage Fee
The mileage fee was not presented as a firm policy pledge. Asked directly whether he would support one as governor, Becerra, a former California attorney general, said “Everything should be on the table,” according to KCRA. His answer left the idea open for discussion; it did not establish that he would adopt the fee.
What Mileage-Based Funding Could Mean
Transportation-funding projections offer context for why alternatives are discussed, but they do not make a mileage fee settled policy. A Mineta Transportation Institute study summarized by the California State Library projected total annual revenue ranging from $4.8 billion to $12.2 billion by 2040 across its scenarios. The range reflects differing assumptions, not a decision to adopt a particular fee. Oregon offers a separate example of a mileage-based charge: OPB reported in 2025 that its voluntary OReGO program, launched in 2015, had roughly 800 enrollees who paid 2 cents per mile driven in Oregon. That state program is distinct from Becerra’s answer, which described an option worth discussing rather than a firm policy pledge.
The broader contest between Becerra and Hilton to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom had been shaping up as an uphill climb for the Republican. Polls for months put Becerra ahead of Hilton by double digits, per CalMatters. Hilton's strategy leaned on frustration with California's high cost of living, hoping to pull in undecided voters, independents and even some Democrats, the outlet reported.
Trump's Shadow Over the Governor's Race
Political observers said Hilton has also struggled with the baggage of Donald Trump's endorsement in a state the president lost by 20 percentage points in 2024, the Mercury News reported. That dynamic made an unsolicited assist from a Marvel and Jurassic World star an odd twist in an already difficult campaign, even if Pratt never asked for the attention.
For his part, Pratt has never publicly claimed a political affiliation, only a strong Christian faith, according to the same Mercury News report. His Election Day message read as nonpartisan encouragement to vote rather than an endorsement of either candidate, which is precisely what made Hilton's reply feel like a detour into territory Pratt hadn't entered.
The RFK Jr. Connection That Keeps Surfacing
Pratt has also discussed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the secretary of health and human services and a vaccine skeptic, in a 2025 interview on Bill Maher’s podcast. Pratt and Kennedy are connected by marriage: Pratt’s wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, is the daughter of Maria Shriver, Kennedy’s first cousin. Rolling Stone reported on Pratt’s comments about their family relationship and political differences.
On Maher’s show, Pratt said, “I really got along with him well. I think he's great,” according to Rolling Stone. Pratt said he and Kennedy see each other at family events, where they play cards or have dinner, but that he keeps politics out of those gatherings. “I don't speak to Kennedy Jr. about his role in Donald Trump's administration or his political views during family gatherings,” Pratt said.
The exchange put Becerra’s exploratory answer into the campaign conversation, but whether Hilton’s reply will affect voters remains unclear. Pratt’s post itself encouraged people to vote without endorsing either candidate.
