SouthernWorldwide.com – California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has unveiled a new campaign advertisement targeting Xavier Becerra, a former Biden administration official. This move signals that the general election contest may have already commenced, even as primary ballots are still being tallied.
The 55-second ad humorously criticizes Becerra’s extensive political career and governmental track record, depicting the Democrat as representative of California’s existing political establishment.
The advertisement features muted footage of Becerra appearing on an antique television screen. Captions flash across the screen, stating phrases such as, “I’ve been a career politician for 36 years. Vote for me.”
Additional captions highlight issues that are anticipated to be central themes in the governor’s race. These include homelessness, the state’s high-speed rail project, and Becerra’s tenure as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
The ad also endeavors to link Becerra with current Governor Gavin Newsom. It concludes with the message: “I’ll change nothing about how California is governed,” followed by the tagline, “Don’t watch another rerun.”
This advertisement was released less than 24 hours after The Associated Press projected that Becerra would advance to California’s November gubernatorial election. He is set to succeed the term-limited Newsom.
As of Saturday, with vote counting ongoing, Becerra held the lead in the field with 26.8% of the vote, according to AP totals. Hilton secured 26.4%, while Democrat Tom Steyer garnered 21.1%.
Approximately 68% of the ballots had been counted by Saturday afternoon.
In a statement following the AP’s race projection, Becerra expressed his satisfaction with the outcome and characterized his campaign as a struggle on behalf of California voters.
“The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly,” Becerra stated. “We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come.”
Becerra’s campaign also noted that this result marks him as the first Latino candidate to advance from a California gubernatorial primary to a general election, deeming it a historic moment for the state.
Should he win in November, Becerra would become California’s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who briefly held the position in 1875.
Becerra, a former California Attorney General, served as the Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Biden administration before launching his gubernatorial campaign.
The official results from Tuesday’s primary have not yet been certified.
