Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton toured Los Angeles' Skid Row on October 9, 2026, attacking Democratic policies and homelessness spending as a political scandal ahead of the November 3 election. Facing Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra, who leads 58% to 33% in polls, Hilton faces steep odds in a state where no Republican has won statewide office since 2006. The campaign unfolds amid federal drug raids on Skid Row and ongoing debates over state taxes and governance.
Steve Hilton's campaign visit to Skid Row
- ▪Steve Hilton visited Los Angeles' Skid Row on October 9, 2026 to survey homeless encampments and outline his platform to enforce law enforcement removal of encampments.
- ▪During an October 9, 2026 tour of Skid Row, Steve Hilton characterized California's homelessness crisis as a political scandal driven by Democratic policies, government-funded nonprofits, and crony real estate contracts.
Skid Row volunteer criticism
- ▪Skid Row food distribution volunteer Venus criticized Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on October 9, 2026, accusing Mayor Bass of breaking promises to reduce homelessness in Los Angeles.
- ▪On October 9, 2026, Skid Row volunteer Adrian criticized California political leaders for failing to address homelessness, stating that the Democratic Party was not doing enough.
Skid Row drug crackdown
- ▪On October 8, 2026, federal and local law enforcement officers arrested 23 individuals in a drug trafficking investigation targeting fentanyl and methamphetamine sales around Los Angeles' Skid Row.
- ▪On October 8, 2026, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined local law enforcement officials to announce the results of a drug trafficking crackdown on Skid Row.
Homelessness administration oversight dispute
- ▪On October 9, 2026, a Los Angeles Continuum of Care meeting addressing a proposal to transfer homelessness administration from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to Los Angeles County ended after two minutes.
- ▪On October 9, 2026, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and four City Council members demanded shared city-county oversight of regional homelessness programs following an abruptly ended Continuum of Care meeting.
Steve Hilton's statewide campaign and platform
- ▪Steve Hilton's campaign platform proposes eliminating California income tax on earnings up to $150,000, setting an 8 percent flat rate above that threshold, and eliminating the Department of Motor Vehicles.
- ▪Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton campaigned across all 58 California counties ahead of the November 3, 2026 general election.
Xavier Becerra's gubernatorial campaign
- ▪Steve Hilton criticized Democratic opponent Xavier Becerra for skipping a Los Angeles Times candidate forum and declining additional debate appearances ahead of the November 2026 election.
- ▪Democratic party leaders initially urged Xavier Becerra to drop out of the 2026 primary race to avoid splitting the vote among a large field of candidates.
Clashes during the September 30 candidate debate
- ▪During a September 30, 2026 televised debate, Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra stated that Republican Steve Hilton appeared to welcome immigrants who look like him while favoring deportation for immigrants who look like Becerra.
- ▪Steve Hilton accused Xavier Becerra during their September 30, 2026 debate of deflecting California's governance issues onto President Donald Trump despite 16 years of continuous Democratic control in California state government.
- ▪During the September 30, 2026 debate, Steve Hilton rejected Xavier Becerra's assertion regarding farmworker deportations, stating that California's governor holds no federal authority over deportation policy.
California gubernatorial race context and polling
- ▪President Donald Trump endorsed Steve Hilton during the Republican primary over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who subsequently asserted that the endorsement rendered Hilton unelectable in California.
- ▪A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released September 24, 2026 showed Xavier Becerra leading Steve Hilton 58 percent to 33 percent among likely California voters.
- ▪No Republican candidate has won statewide office in California since Arnold Schwarzenegger's election in 2006, in a state where registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans nearly two to one.
Debatable claims
- ▪California should use law enforcement to clear homeless encampments
- ▪Harm reduction programs prolong addiction in California's homeless encampments
- ▪Continuous Democratic control is the principal driver of California's state governance failures
- ▪Replacing California's progressive income tax with a flat rate harms state revenue stability
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