Steve Hilton, the charismatic media personality and expat from the UK, has worn many hats in his life: Fox News host, author, entrepreneur, adviser to British prime minister David Cameron, to name a few. Now he’s aiming to become California’s next governor, hoping to overturn what will have been 15 years of one-party rule in the state. I spoke to him recently about how California’s elites are destroying the state he loves, why business is under siege, and why he only uses a flip phone. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Batya Ungar-Sargon: I understand that you have some news you would like to share.
Steve Hilton: You are the first person to hear this from me officially: I am running for governor of California in 2026. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.
We moved here from England in 2012. California always for me was just such an inspiration. Literally the best place on Earth, the encapsulation of everything that’s wonderful about America. But everyone can see it’s gone so badly offtrack. It’s barely recognizable even from where it was when we moved here in 2012. It’s just such a struggle for so many people, particularly working people.