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DIRTY TRICKS PROMOTING "MAGA" STEVE HILTON FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

by Thomas M. Sipos, managing editor [May 16, 2026]

[HollywoodInvestigator.com] A deceptive PAC is playing dirty tricks to promote “MAGA” Republican Steve Hilton for California governor. The people behind this PAC are either Democrats or the Hilton campaign.

Let me explain.

California has a “top two” electoral system. Every candidate, from every party, runs in a “free for all” June primary; the “top two” face off in the November general election.

About 45% of California voters are registered as Democratic vs. 25% Republican, 23% Independent, and 7% some third party. This means the “top two” candidates in November are often both Democrats.

But this year so many Democrats are running for governor, splitting their support, that the “top two” in recent polls have both been Republicans: Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. Unless Democratic voters rally behind a single candidate – or unless Hilton or Bianco falls far behind the other – voters might be faced with only these two Republicans on the November ballot.

Enter the dirty trick.

These past few days, I received two mailers “attacking” Republican Steve Hilton. The charge? He’s too “MAGA.” He’s endorsed by Trump. But pay attention -- this mailer is really meant to encourage me to vote for Hilton.

How so? Because this mailer was sent to registered Republicans such as myself, by “Organizations Opposing Republican Candidates for Governor.”

Why would a PAC, sporting such a glaringly anti-Republican name, contact Republicans and warn them about Hilton being too “MAGA” – unless they want to drive Republicans into the Hilton camp?

That’s the dirty trick. This ostensibly anti-Hilton mailer is calculated to encourage Republicans to support Hilton.

Who sent it? If we ask cui bono, then it was either sent by Democrats (to rally Republicans behind Hilton and prevent Bianco from being the other “top two” candidate), or by the Hilton campaign itself. This latter scenario is not impossible. Hilton has a history of ugly politics, and he might yet think that he can win in November, should the Democratic candidate be so far left as to drive Independent voters into the Hilton camp.

No matter. I had already long ago decided to vote for Chad Bianco. Trump can’t sway me on that.

Neither can “Organizations Opposing Republican Candidates for Governor” convince me to vote for Hilton, however desperately they might want me to.

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