The race is on in the once-golden state of California, and in a wonderful surprise, it’s the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Steve Hilton, outraising Democrat candidates in donor cash in the race.
In a post on X, Hilton shared the shocking numbers that show his campaign has raised more than $4 million in the last six months, way ahead of Democrat candidates like Katie Porter and Democrat Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-14), and has raised a total of $5.7 million.
🚨BREAKING: STEVE HILTON DOMINATES FUNDRAISING
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) January 13, 2026
We are leading this race and building a grassroots political revolution.
THANK YOU to the 30,000+ people who have made this possible. We will keep fighting to kick out the failed, corrupt Democrat machine and SAVE CALIFORNIA! ✊ pic.twitter.com/d7CRagD4UO
Another Embarrassing Statistic Eric Swalwell Prefers You Not Know As He Runs for CA Governor
“BREAKING: STEVE HILTON DOMINATES FUNDRAISING,” the post read. “We are leading this race and building a grassroots political revolution.”
“THANK YOU to the 30,000+ people who have made this possible,” he added. “We will keep fighting to kick out the failed, corrupt Democrat machine and SAVE CALIFORNIA!”
Hilton, who became a U.S. citizen in 2021, spoke to The New York Post about the numbers.
Hilton, who described himself as a political outsider, called the results “especially strong,” saying he finished well ahead of “establishment machine politicians like Eric Swalwell and Katie Porter.”
“This is truly a fantastic result and shows how much people are sick of Newsom and 16 years of one-party Democrat rule,” Hilton told The Post. “We built this from scratch, in record time.”
It’s true that a Republican hasn’t won the blue state since 2006, when Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger won reelection, running the state from 2003 to 2011.
But to those who doubt it could ever happen again, they should take these fundraising numbers as a very positive sign.
Another is the fact that Hilton said his “Golden Ticket," with pal former Democrat leader Gloria Romero (who switched parties) running for Lt. Governor as his “running mate" (which CA doesn’t usually have), is seeing overwhelming support from CA residents who are done with the destruction of the state with massive homelessness, crime, and out-of-control costs for insurance, housing, gas, taxes, and more.
Speaking to CNN on Monday, Hilton and Romero talked about their ticket and their plan to win the race.
"A majority of Californians say the state is going in the wrong direction. 60%, 65%...we're going to kick out this corrupt, failed Democrat regime."
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) January 13, 2026
Took our message of change to CNN with my new running mate @GloriaJRomero: pic.twitter.com/JCdgV9Udkz
"I think it’s time for a change in California. A majority of Californians agree with that, over 60%, but it’s not going to be easy to win as a Republican in the state,” Hilton told the host. “It’s been a long time since a Republican won statewide. So, I’ve always said we’ve got to do it differently. And I’ve always believed in the idea of a team that’s going to turn things around in California."
“And I’m running as an outsider, a business owner…so I’m going there to take on the failure and corruption in Sacramento,” he added. “But right by my side, Gloria’s going to be helping me with all of her years of experience in the State Capitol, in the legislature.”
When pressed on how they will pull off a victory, Hilton once again pointed out that polls regularly show in CA that “60, sometimes as high as 65%, say the state is going in the wrong direction.”
Keep up the good work, Californians. Let’s do this and turn this disastrous state around.
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