# Becerra and Hilton face voter concerns over costs and Trump in California

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/trump-and-the-high-cost-of-living-loom-over-california-governors-race-between-becerra-and-hilton/
- Published: 2026-11-04T04:22:44+00:00
- Original publisher: PBS NewsHour
- Original article: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-and-the-high-cost-of-living-loom-over-california-governors-race-between-becerra-and-hilton
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- California voters choose between Becerra and Hilton for governor.
- Trump and the state’s high costs shape the contest.
- The Supreme Court rejected a bid to block ballot counting.

## Summary

New coverage centres on Tuesday’s vote for California governor, where Donald Trump, the state’s high cost of living and the candidates’ experience have become defining issues. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are competing to succeed Gavin Newsom, who cannot seek a third term.

Becerra, a former state attorney general, congressman and US health secretary, argues his 35-plus years in government prepare him to defend California’s liberal policies. Hilton, a former UK political adviser and Fox News host with no elected-office experience, says Democratic leadership has left housing, fuel and education unaffordable. Democrats account for about 45% of registered voters and Republicans 25%; the US Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to prevent counting ballots linked to its claim that up to 20,000 non-citizens may be registered.

## Coverage

- [PBS NewsHour: Becerra and Hilton face voter concerns over costs and Trump in California](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-and-the-high-cost-of-living-loom-over-california-governors-race-between-becerra-and-hilton)
- [New York Post: Democrat Xavier Becerra coasts to victory in California governor’s race after uninspiring campaign](https://nypost.com/2026/11/03/us-news/xavier-becerra-to-succeed-gavin-newsom-as-california-governor/)
- [The Guardian: Xavier Becerra wins California race for governor with vows to resist Trump’s agenda](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/xavier-becerra-steve-hilton-california-governor)

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.