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California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton says he believes Joe Biden won the 2020 election
Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, leaned into President Donald Trump’s endorsement — calling it “a deep honor” — during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026.
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The latest on the ongoing election count
Three days after polls closed, California is still counting ballots, and the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom remains unsettled. We check the latest numbers and talk with Republican candidate Steve Hilton about where his campaign stands. Context: California's universal vote-by-mail system means counting stretches for weeks, with nearly one million votes across L.A. and the O.C. outstanding. Steve Hilton, alongside Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer are all vying for one of two spots on the general election ballot.
Three days after polls closed, the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom remains unsettled. On Friday, Republican candidate Steve Hilton joined LAist’s AirTalk with Larry Mantle to discuss where the vote stands and his confidence in the election as he currently leads the polls.
The 2020 election results
During a previous interview on AirTalk with LAist host Austin Cross, Hilton shied away from disputing President Donald Trump' s claims that the 2020 election was stolen. However, when asked again in his latest interview with Mantle about the 2020 presidential election, Hilton affirmed that President Joe Biden won.
“Now there's no question, everybody knows that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, and I don't think there's any doubt about that,” Hilton said.
The current California primary
Hilton also addressed the concerns about California's universal vote-by-mail system, which means the vote count can stretch on for weeks. The slow pace has raised concerns from some critics about the legitimacy of California’s elections.
“I've got strong things to say about the pace, but I want to reassure everyone who may be listening who's a supporter of mine that we're keeping a close eye on things,” Hilton said about the current California primary results.
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Hilton said during the conversation that he's confident California's election is being administered fairly.
“I'm sure every other campaign has lawyers standing by ready to act if there's anything untoward that we think requires that kind of action, but so far we haven't seen anything that meets that standard,” he said.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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