California Governor · General election November 3, 2026
Where Becerra and Hilton stand on the issues
A nonpartisan, sourced side-by-side of the two candidates for California governor. Each policy area opens with neutral context, then compares both positions with citations and confidence notes.
Xavier BecerraD · DemocratFormer U.S. HHS Secretary; ex-CA AG
Steve HiltonR · RepublicanFormer Fox News host; Golden TogetherAt a glance
How far apart the candidates sit on each policy area. Select a row to see the full comparison.
| Policy area | How far apart | Spectrum |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living & affordability | 74 pts apart | |
| Housing & homelessness | 52 pts apart | |
| State budget, taxes & fiscal credibility | 58 pts apart | |
| Gas, electricity & energy prices | 52 pts apart | |
| Immigration & the Trump administration | 74 pts apart | |
| Crime, public safety & behavioral health | 56 pts apart | |
| Healthcare, Medi-Cal & drug costs | 68 pts apart | |
| Home insurance, wildfires & climate risk | 48 pts apart | |
| Education, childcare & workforce | 71 pts apart | |
| Government competence & business climate | 60 pts apart |
Policy areas
Cost of living & affordability
← Public relief & regulationTax cuts & deregulation →
- Becerra
- Bring prices down with state power: freeze rates, fight price gouging, and help with essential costs.
- Hilton
- Make California 'Califordable' by cutting the taxes, fees, and mandates that drive up daily costs.
Updated June 9, 2026
Housing & homelessness
← Public investment & Housing FirstDeregulation & enforcement-first →
- Becerra
- Build aggressively, fund prevention, and treat homelessness as a need for support rather than a crime.
- Hilton
- Enforce anti-camping laws, end 'Housing First,' and redirect money to sober housing and treatment.
Updated June 9, 2026
State budget, taxes & fiscal credibility
← Raise revenue & tax wealthCut spending & taxes →
- Becerra
- Raise steady revenue by taxing the wealthy's investment income, and protect programs rather than cut them.
- Hilton
- Cut taxes and spending: exempt the first $100,000 of income, set a flat rate, and shrink the budget.
Updated June 9, 2026
Gas, electricity & energy prices
← Climate-first regulationDeregulate & expand supply →
- Becerra
- Lower bills by regulating utilities and stabilizing fuel supply, while keeping the climate goals.
- Hilton
- Reach $3 gas and cheaper power by repealing climate rules and expanding in-state supply.
Updated June 9, 2026
Immigration & the Trump administration
← Resist & protect immigrantsCooperate & enforce →
- Becerra
- Defend California's sanctuary law, refuse to help ICE, and fight the Trump administration in court.
- Hilton
- Cooperate with federal enforcement, treat the sanctuary law as unconstitutional, and back Trump's approach.
Updated June 8, 2026
Crime, public safety & behavioral health
← Prevention & servicesEnforcement-first →
- Becerra
- Treat crime and addiction first as problems to prevent and treat.
- Hilton
- Enforce existing laws, reverse decarceration, and require treatment for addiction and mental illness.
Updated June 9, 2026
Healthcare, Medi-Cal & drug costs
← Expanded public coverageMarkets & cost control →
- Becerra
- Protect Medi-Cal from federal cuts and use the state's buying power to lower drug prices.
- Hilton
- End Medi-Cal for undocumented immigrants and redirect the savings to citizens and legal residents.
Updated June 9, 2026
Home insurance, wildfires & climate risk
← Regulate insurers / climate actionDeregulate / let the market price risk →
- Becerra
- Lean on insurers to hold rates down and pay claims, and invest heavily in wildfire prevention.
- Hilton
- Let insurers price risk, enforce Prop 103's deadlines, and shrink the FAIR Plan back to a true last resort.
Updated June 9, 2026
Education, childcare & workforce
← Public investmentChoice & accountability →
- Becerra
- Treat education mainly as an affordability issue: expand childcare help and workforce training, backed by a long pro-public-school, anti-voucher record.
- Hilton
- Call the schools a failure of accountability, not money — mandate phonics, grade schools, expand choice, and freeze college tuition.
Updated June 9, 2026
Government competence & business climate
← Active governmentLean government & deregulation →
- Becerra
- Make government work better by managing it competently and modernizing it, not shrinking it.
- Hilton
- Shrink and audit the state: sunset regulations, cut the bureaucracy, and chase waste with Cal DOGE.
Updated June 9, 2026