Steve Hilton: Californians Still Want Change

“Californians still want change,” Steve Hilton said at a press conference Thursday in Sacramento. “I want to see the things I argued for happen in California.” He reiterated that the desire for change in California has not gone away with the election.

“I love this state,” Hilton said. He plans to take a few weeks off, “but I will be back.”

What’s next for @SteveHiltonx? At a press conference outside the California State Capitol in Sacramento this morning, Hilton quoted the famous line of Fmr. Gov Arnold @Schwarzenegger: “I’ll be back.”

Hilton’s future? He said he’s “in this for the long term, whether that is as a candidate, a leader, a policy maker, maybe all of those things. Nothing is off the table.”

Hilton: “Californians want change… I wish Xavier Becerra well and I hope he can and will bring the change that people want to see in California…I hope he does that. I’ll support him if he does that.”

— Eytan Wallace (@EytanWallace) November 5, 2026

Hilton thanked the media for covering the campaign, the team that built it, and the supporters and volunteers who joined. He noted the campaign was positive and focused on solutions rather than only complaining about what has gone wrong.

“Two-thirds of Californians want change, and yet roughly two-thirds voted for more of the same,” Hilton said. “That has not changed the fact that people still want something different. I wish Xavier Becerra well, and I hope he brings the change we fought for.”

The test for Becerra, Hilton said, is whether he actually brings costs down. He pointed to gas prices at or below the national average, lower housing costs, and relief on electric bills, groceries and insurance as clear measures.

“There is no reason Xavier Becerra can’t bring gas prices down, with an even bigger supermajority,” Hilton said gesturing toward the State Capitol. He said Becerra could at the very least cut gas prices in California to the national average.

Today AAA reports that the national average price for a gallon of gas is $4.10. California’s average price for a gallon of gas is $5.84 per gallon.

At $4.10 per gallon, a tank of gas is $82.00. At $5.84 per gallon, a tank of gas is $116.80 – a $34.80 difference.

$34.80 can buy milk, bread, eggs, meat, peanut butter and broccoli.

“You want to help working class people – cut gas prices,” Hilton said.

Hilton discussed affordability – the buzzword of the election. “We all agree that is the issue,” Hilton said. “They [Democrats] are in a position to deal with that.” He noted that California has the highest cost of living, highest grocery costs and highest gas prices. “We can measure that and see how they do.”

Hilton said his campaign put forward practical ideas and built from nothing an army of small-dollar donors. Hilton called it a model for lifting up working people and small business owners with positive solutions.

Hilton was everywhere, criss-crossing the state every day, during his campaign. He was accessible, met thousands of regular working people, and heard their concerns, while Xavier Becerra hid in Joe Biden’s basement.

“Regular working people in California are at breaking point,” Hilton said. “That is what I have heard for a year and a half. I hope the people who control policy in this state understand it.”

“California should be the best place to start and raise a family, and start and run a business,” Hilton added. “Millions of people left California during Gavin Newsom’s two terms. I’m confident we will elect a Republican governor in the next election.”