Golden State Today

Steve Hilton, a political commentator, highlighted the substantial financial support directed towards moderate Democrats in California, leading to a Democrat-majority legislature and the adoption of progressive policies, suggesting the necessity for a different approach to address the state's challenges. Hilton was a guest on a recent episode of the Next Round Podcast.

“To support moderate Democrats and pro-business Democrats, you've seen a lot of money, frankly, move from supporting Republican candidates to supporting moderate Democrats,” said Hilton on the Next Round Podcast hosted by the Pacific Research Institute think tank. “And especially when you combine that with the top-two system in California, it has led to a situation where what do you have now in the legislature? You have 62 Democrats in the Assembly, 18 Republicans; in the Senate, 32 Democrats, 8 Republicans, a supermajority.”

“Where has it got us—this idea that the answer is to support moderate Democrats?” Hilton said. “It's led to the most far-left policies anywhere in America, with the results that we just see. So that doesn't work either. So here's my argument to you today: There's only one way to bring about that California revolution, to save the state we love.”

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.

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. 

This full episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.