Golden State Today

Steve Hilton, a political commentator, said positivity and practicality are important in addressing California's challenges, urging for concrete solutions rather than ideological debates to engage an apathetic public, highlighting housing and homeownership as pivotal issues to rally support. Hilton was a guest on a recent episode of the Next Round Podcast.

"There is a lot to criticize, of course, in California, but that doesn't necessarily win people over, and so you've got to be positive," said Hilton on the Next Round Podcast hosted by the Pacific Research Institute think tank."Here's what we're going to do, and then you've got to be practical, do it in practice, not ideological, not theoretical, like specific things. Because most people aren't interested in politics, they don't follow it, they don't care, they just want to know what's going to happen—positive and practical.”

"The first issue that I wanted to focus on in golden together was housing and home ownership," Hilton said. “It is, I think, a more positive way of putting it. It's because it's an issue that actually isn't particularly ideological or partisan. It's exactly the kind of issue to win people over because who's most fed up with the current housing crisis, the situation on housing? It is younger people who can't get on the housing ladder."

This full episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Hilton, previously an advisor to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, now leads Golden Together, a California-based group focused on affordable housing solutions. Renowned for his Fox News show The Next Revolution, Hilton also hosts The Steve Hilton Show podcast.

Next Round is a weekly podcast put on by the nonpartisan think tank Pacific Research Institute. Topics explored on the podcast revolve around California politics and free market ideas in the state. Guests include elected officials, members of the media, and policy leaders. 

Pasadena, California-based Pacific Research Institute, founded in 1979, is an advocacy organization whose goal is to “champion freedom, opportunity, and personal responsibility for all individuals by advancing free-market policy solutions,” according to the group’s website. Its president is Sally Pipes.