That makes him the second major Republican to enter the crowded field hoping to replace incumbent Gavin Newsom in 2026

EXCLUSIVE: The California 2026 gubernatorial race just got a major shakeup with Republican Steve Hilton entering the race to be Gov. Gavin Newsom's successor. The former Fox News contributor and author of "Califailure" said he's hoping to "Make California Golden Again," especially for the "working people" of the state.

Hilton, who hosted a show on Fox News for six years and worked as an adviser to former British prime minister David Cameron, faulted state Democrats during a formal campaign launch in Huntington Beach, southeast of Los Angeles, for the state's notoriously high taxes, soaring home prices and “the destruction of the California dream.”