Steve Hilton, a former Downing Street political adviser and Fox News host, is campaigning to become California's next governor. Despite opinion polls showing him lagging 20 percentage points or more behind his Democratic rival, Xavier Becerra, Hilton continues his campaign.
Hilton's campaign strategy involves a populist message and a series of policy proposals. These include suggestions to abolish the department of motor vehicles, reduce gas prices to $3 a gallon, establish a new business school in East Los Angeles, and create a competition among California's 58 counties to build 10 new cities.
Hilton attributes California's issues to 16 years of Democratic party control, using the slogan "Enough is enough." He describes himself as "un-pigeonhole-able" and combines elements from presidential candidates Bernie Sanders, Rand Paul, and John Kasich in his campaign style.
Some of Hilton's proposals align with Republican principles, such as aiming to eliminate several environmental regulations and cancelling large public works projects like the high-speed train from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Other ideas, such as eliminating state taxes on the first $150,000 of income and offering free tuition at the proposed business school for lower-income students, are harder to categorise.
Hilton acknowledges his position as an underdog, stating, "Of course I'm the underdog." He believes there is a "narrow but real path to victory."