Steve Hilton Emerges as Clear Winner Among Viewers of Gubernatorial Debate

Steve Hilton “hit it out of the park” according to polls on Tuesday evening at the February 3, 2026, California gubernatorial debate hosted by KTVU FOX 2 and FOX 11 in San Francisco.  The debate featured six democratic candidates—Antonio Villaraigosa, Matt Mahan, Betty Yee, Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer, and Tony Thurmond, with Steve Hilton as the lone Republican participating. 14 candidates were invited to the debate by the Black Action Alliance group organizing the event; however, some candidates did not participate due to scheduling conflicts. 

Although pundits weighing in after the debate stated there was no clear winner, viewer polls (including interactive ones during the broadcast) overwhelmingly favored Hilton, with reports of him capturing 66-75% of votes as the standout performer.  This was surprising since there were six major Democratic candidates in the debate.  Perhaps voters are tired of the same democratic policies that have made life so unaffordable for most working class families in the State.  Affordability is the major issue according to recent polls.  Hilton aggressively criticized 16 years of Democratic policies leading to the highest cost of living in America, the highest poverty rates and the highest unemployment rates.  Hilton wants to end the “climate crusade” and bring gas prices down to $3 per gallon.  He proposed a flat registration fee of $71 for vehicles, to bring it more in line with what other states are charging. He also wants the first $100,000 in income to be tax free and end the insane regulations on housing.  He believes in the American dream of single-family homes.  In contrast, Steyer promoted building homes near public transportation to avoid “sprawl”. 

Immigration drew sharp divides, with Steyer calling ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) "criminal from top to bottom" and Thurmond pledging to abolish it and restore universal healthcare for undocumented immigrants.  Thurmon went on to state he would tax any companies that do business with ICE. Most Democrats resisted federal enforcement strongly (Villaraigosa compared ICE tactics to the KKK), while Mahan emphasized secure borders with legal pathways, and Hilton emphasized that he is a legal immigrant and stated that he supports enforcing immigration laws peacefully.  Hilton also spent some time criticizing Republican opponent Sheriff Chad Bianco for "taking the knee" during BLM (Black Lives Matter) riots and for re-framing it as "praying", saying Bianco “has more baggage than LAX.” 

KTVU FOX 11 Broadcast of California Governor Candidates Debate in San Francisco

On housing and the economy, Mahan highlighted practical San Jose reforms; Steyer and Thurmond pushed progressive taxes on billionaires and rent controls. Steyer wants to close corporate tax loopholes. Becerra wants to give the "black and brown communities" access to capital for down payments. Post-debate reactions on X praised Hilton's commanding performance and cool handling of a heckler during his closing.  The event highlighted progressive-moderate Democratic splits and boosted Hilton's visibility as the lone Republican participating in the debate.

You can watch the entire debate here: