Posted on 12/19/2025 12:13:13 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
Former Fox News host and author Steve Hilton jumped into the lead in California’s jungle primary for governor, in which the two top candidates from both parties will advance to the general election.
The new poll from FM3, commissioned by the moderate Democratic Party group California Issues Forum, has Hilton with a one-point lead over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who are both tied at 17%.
Hilton and Bianco finishing first and second in the primary would mean two Republicans advance to the general election, and a Republican would run California for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011.
Swalwell entered the governor’s race in late November and quickly knocked former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) out of her front-runner position. The poll was conducted between Nov. 30th and December 7th among 821 likely voters.
Porter has been plagued by accusations of mistreating her staff and sparked a mini-scandal by trying to walk out of a recent interview, during which she attacked the reporter for asking too many follow-up questions.
The poll also asked voters to consider just the two Democratic Party front-runners. Swalwell received 30 percent to Porter’s 21 percent in a head-to-head matchup, with 20 percent remaining undecided. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is still widely believed to be considering a run as well, and his entrance would shake up the race further. Democrats further splitting the vote in the primary could strengthen Hilton and Bianco’s lead over the pack, resulting in a worst-case scenario for the party.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediaite.com ...
Pray for lots and lots of democrats to run to split the vote !
so what. Epstein got around. re Hilton, he talks a good game but i don’’t think he is the R to win California, even a Cali seriously in decline. i live in L A
I believe Hilton has done a bit more in his life than appear on FOX a few times
Kamala to the rescue?
First we’ve got their dunce prince in CA, and now maybe one of theirs as guv as well?
Good deal on Steve Hilton’s run he’s a Brit and understands very well why socialism needs to be axed.
Hope he wins.
Moderate? Hah!
Moderation in Kalifornia means that this Forum switches between Marx and Lenin, with a little Stalin thrown in for good measure.
Are you sure that’s not Steve Bannon?
Katie Porker is the poster child for what’s wrong with leftist female politicians.
Yeah. I never heard anything about Steve Hilton and Epstein. Grok says no.
Yes, it’s Bannon, not Hilton. Post #2 should be pulled.
Those people who are scrambling to be Governor of California are bent on getting on the Titanic, again!
California is about to go bankrupt. Oil companies are bailing out and refineries are shutting down. There are no ways to keep the companies that make up the tax base or entice new ones to relocate into the mess that Newsome has made by his draconian laws to combat the fictional “Climate Change” boogie man.
Governor Newsome has crippled the energy production and, by targeting the Oil companies, he has ruined his state.
A POLL OF 821 OUT OF OVER 3 MILLION?????/
WHAT KIND OF STATISTICS IS THAT???
Given California's top two primary system, that is about the only way a Republican can make the general election ballot .
It probably won’t happen, but if two Republicans top out in the 2026 California jungle primary, due to Democrat infighting, I’ll be laughing my head off….
As long as the respondents are randomly selected, that’s an OK sample size.
Hilton should have just ran as a “Democrat” himself. Turn it into a non-partisan ballot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.