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Political Breakdown

Steve Hilton Supports Mail-In Voting, Remains Confident in California's Election Security

Hilton pledged to accept the results of the November election, whatever they are. "We may not love the system, but we've got to win votes using this system."
Marisa Lagos
Steve Hilton, candidate for California governor, speaks with KQED political reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED studios in San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

Republican candidate for governor Steve Hilton is campaigning to break Democrats’ iron clad grip on state governance. It’s a steep challenge, but Hilton remains bullish that his message of change can win over independent and Democratic voters while his conservative credentials and endorsement by President Donald Trump help him maintain Republican support. 

He joins Marisa in studio to discuss his views on inequality in the state, how he would regulate AI and the backlash to data centers. He split with Trump, disagreeing with the president’s attempts to limit mail-in voting. Hilton also said he is not concerned about the integrity of the November election and would accept the results.

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