California’s competition to succeed Gavin Newsom as Governor of California comes down to two candidates who represent the basic philosophies of their parties. The Republican Hilton, who became a U.S. citizen 11 years ago, and has only lived in California for 5 years, is a former FOX News celebrity. He offers the usual Republican spiel of limited government, deregulation, and lowering taxes.
Xavier Becerra is a drag, another holdover from earlier Democrat administrations (Obama). A standard Democrat, he argues for investment in the state and an active role for state government in addressing the issues identified in the table below.
Becerra isn’t our idea of a progressive leader, but at least he’s not a Republican.
| Issue | Xavier Becerra (Democrat) | Steve Hilton (Republican) |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | Supports expanding affordable housing, increasing zoning for apartments and condos, assisting first-time homebuyers, and limiting large corporate home purchases. (CalMatters) | Emphasizes reducing regulations and speeding construction through market-oriented reforms. (The Guardian) |
| Taxes & Cost of Living | Generally supports existing public programs and targeted assistance while investing in housing and social services. (CalMatters) | Proposes tax cuts, lower gas taxes, and reductions in regulations to lower household costs. (AP News) |
| Homelessness | Supports continued state investment in housing, mental-health services, and social programs. (ACLU California Action) | Argues current spending has not produced results and favors stronger accountability and policy changes. (AP News) |
| Climate & Environment | Supports California’s existing climate goals and emissions-reduction policies. (California Environmental Voters) | Supports environmental goals but argues regulations should be balanced against affordability and economic growth. (Axios) |
| Health Care | Emphasizes protecting and expanding health-care access, reflecting his background as U.S. Health Secretary. (State Affairs Pro) | Focuses more on lowering costs through economic reforms than on expanding state health programs. (The Guardian) |
| Role of Government | Favors an active state role in housing, health care, consumer protection, and social services. (CalMatters) | Advocates a smaller, more streamlined government with fewer regulations and lower taxes. (The Guardian) |
SUMMARY: In broad terms, Becerra’s approach emphasizes government investment and regulation to address social and economic problems, while Hilton emphasizes tax reduction, deregulation, and structural reforms aimed at lowering costs and increasing economic growth. Both candidates identify affordability as California’s central challenge, but they propose different methods for addressing it.