Steve Hilton To Advance To November In California Governor’s Race

Republican Steve Hilton will advance to the November election and face off against Democrat Xavier Becerra, the AP projected on Tuesday.

Votes are still being counted, but the AP determined that Hilton had amassed a lead that the third place finisher, Democrat Tom Steyer, cannot make up in the final tally.

Hilton has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, something that will be a hurdle in a heavily blue state, where the last Republican was elected to statewide office 20 years ago. But he has capitalized on voter discontent in the state, and has criticized California protracted vote count and has called mail-in ballot rules an “absolute disaster.”

Despite the criticism, Hilton has not embraced Trump’s claim of rampant voter fraud, telling CNN on Monday that “we’ve seen nothing to give us pause” to raise red flags about the count.

More to come.