In separate speeches delivered a few hours apart, California’s two gubernatorial hopefuls stuck to familiar themes — offering a preview of the issues that could define the November election to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, sought to tie Republican rival Steve Hilton to President Trump during his remarks Wednesday at the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference in downtown L.A.
Hilton focused on his immigrant roots and how to help small businesses in California, and ignored Becerra’s attacks.
Their appearances at the conference marked one of the first times both candidates have appeared at the same event since the June 2 primary.
Becerra, the former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and former California attorney general, placed first in the primary, winning 28% of the vote. Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, followed with 24.6%.
Republicans make up only a quarter of registered voters in the state, so Hilton may face an uphill battle to victory in November.
Democrats, including Newsom, have sought attention by attacking Trump and defending California policies, and Becerra appeared to lean into that approach on Wednesday.
Without mentioning Hilton or Trump by name, Becerra labeled the president a “false” prophet during his 10-minute address.
“We don’t need people who make a promise to end a war in one day, and today, we still fight it and others,” said Becerra, referring to the ongoing U.S. attacks on Iran. “We don’t need someone who said they will lower the price of gasoline and then raise it by starting a reckless, illegal war.”
California doesn’t “need those prophets and worse. And I tell you this — in California we will not accept their disciples,” said Becerra, seemingly referring to Hilton.
Hilton, who spoke for about five minutes, acknowledged he was endorsed by Trump. He then pivoted to the topic of immigration and alluded to the red tape and regulations in the state that he blames for hurting small businesses.
He recounted how his parents moved from Hungary to Britain, and then how he moved to California in 2012.
“That story of the immigrant aspiration, climbing the ladder of opportunity in a new country, that is my story,” Hilton said.
Hilton attended the University of Oxford and worked a senior advisor to former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron before moving to the state. He also talked about his time running restaurants.
“That is a really tough business, and it is especially tough today in California for small business owners, for working-class Californians, and that’s what I’m fighting for in this campaign,” he said.
Hilton said he is “not an ideologue,” and doesn’t “want to tell anyone how to live their life or run their business.”
“I just want everyone to have a shot at climbing that ladder of opportunity,” he said.
Becerra also chastised Hilton over an incident in May, when Hilton filmed himself eating a Del Taco taco, which he called a “street taco.”
Becerra, looking amused, told the NALEO audience that you don’t get street tacos “in some establishment that’s been around for a long time.”
“You get it on the street from the guy who’s been making it for a long time in his little cart,” he said.
Newsom and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also previously spoke during the conference, which included discussion of the recent killings of immigrants by federal officers.
“The price of freedom, of democracy, of inclusion, is high,” said Becerra, adding that the price of “simply driving while brown” is “so high.”
Later on Wednesday, Hilton responded to Becerra’s jabs.
“Xavier Becerra’s silly jokes and insults won’t lower anyone’s gas prices or housing costs,” he said in a statement. “To do that, we need a governor who will bring positive, practical change, not a 36-year career politician who thinks everything in California is going well and that we need more of the same.”
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