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Dirty tricks promoting “MAGA” Steve Hilton for California governor
Enter Stage Right ^ | May 18, 2026 | Thomas M. Sipos

Posted on 05/17/2026 9:28:52 PM PDT by Angelino97

A deceptive PAC is playing dirty tricks to promote “MAGA” Republican Steve Hilton for California governor. The people behind this PAC are either Democrats or the Hilton campaign.

Let me explain.

California has a “top two” electoral system. Every candidate, from every party, runs in a “free for all” June primary; the “top two” face off in the November general election.

About 45% of California voters are registered as Democratic vs. 25% Republican, 23% Independent, and 7% some third party. This means the “top two” candidates in November are often both Democrats.

But this year so many Democrats are running for governor, splitting their support, that the “top two” in recent polls have both been Republicans: Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. Unless Democratic voters rally behind a single candidate – or unless Hilton or Bianco falls far behind the other – voters might be faced with only these two Republicans on the November ballot.

Enter the dirty trick.

These past few days, I received two mailers “attacking” Republican Steve Hilton. The charge? He’s too “MAGA.” He’s endorsed by Trump. But pay attention -- this mailer is really meant to encourage me to vote for Hilton.

How so? Because this mailer was sent to registered Republicans such as myself, by “Organizations Opposing Republican Candidates for Governor.”

Why would a PAC, sporting such a glaringly anti-Republican name, contact Republicans and warn them about Hilton being too “MAGA” – unless they want to drive Republicans into the Hilton camp?

That’s the dirty trick. This ostensibly anti-Hilton mailer is calculated to encourage Republicans to support Hilton.

Who sent it? If we ask cui bono, then it was either sent by Democrats (to rally Republicans behind Hilton and prevent Bianco from being the other “top two” candidate), or by the Hilton campaign itself. This latter scenario is not impossible. Hilton has a history of ugly politics, and he might yet think that he can win in November, should the Democratic candidate be so far left as to drive Independent voters into the Hilton camp.

No matter. I had already long ago decided to vote for Chad Bianco. Trump can’t sway me on that.

Neither can “Organizations Opposing Republican Candidates for Governor” convince me to vote for Hilton, however desperately they might want me to.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
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1 posted on 05/17/2026 9:28:52 PM PDT by Angelino97
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To: Angelino97

I only vote the way mailers tell me to vote or not vote.


2 posted on 05/17/2026 9:44:43 PM PDT by Rad_J
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To: Angelino97

As dirty tricks go, that one is pretty clean. It is no worse than fund-raiders taking a survey of supporters to send to some government bigwig knowing it won’t change anything, but gets the reader engaged (and possibly helps shape future campaigns).


3 posted on 05/17/2026 9:46:03 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:5))
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To: Angelino97

It’s Democrats, trying to ensure a Hilton vs Becerra race in November :

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/08/politics/newsom-california-governors-race-democrats-greater-golden-state


4 posted on 05/17/2026 9:47:45 PM PDT by ETCM (“There is no security, no safety, in the appeasement of evil.” — Ronald Reagan)
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To: Angelino97

I’m of the impression that in some of the bluest of blue states, the best one can hope for is a moderate Democrat...Asking for a John Fetterman type would be pushing it...But what about the San Jose mayor who Rick Caruso endorses? Matt Mahan?


5 posted on 05/17/2026 10:00:00 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege (🩰🌷 )
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To: Angelino97

I’ll take “Things we don’t need to worry about” for $100, Alex.


6 posted on 05/17/2026 10:02:53 PM PDT by Orosius
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To: Angelino97

You can be very sure if it ends up as 2 Republicans the RATs will change the rules. That is the way those scumbags play.


7 posted on 05/17/2026 10:14:01 PM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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To: Angelino97
"Hilton has a history of ugly politics..."

That's a damned lie. The worst thing he'd done was design a poster campaign for the British Conservative Party that they rejected for being too negative.

The only dirty trick here is this article.

8 posted on 05/17/2026 10:16:05 PM PDT by MikelTackNailer (Listen to me now, think about it later and cry about it some other day.)
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To: Angelino97

If the Kalifornia democRATs/DemoKKKrats can get one democRAT on the November ballot, they will “count” the November ballots for as long as it takes for the democRAT to “win.”

It’s Kalifornia, Jake.


9 posted on 05/17/2026 10:28:17 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus III (Do, or do not, there is no try. )
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