candidate_id: steve-hilton

candidate_name: Steve Hilton

claim_type: recommendation

event_title: CalMatters Governor Q&A Transcripts

party: Republican

text: Hilton says simplifying and reducing state regulations would be his top approach to making California more affordable.

theme_id: governance

theme_label: Governance


claim_type: observation

text: Hilton argues California’s tax structure is overly dependent on high-income earners and capital gains, creating unpredictable revenues.

theme_id: taxes

theme_label: Taxes


event_title: Hilton CAL DOGE government reform release

text: Use CAL DOGE and a broader fraud review to root out waste, fraud, duplication, and abuse across California government programs.

theme_id: government-accountability

theme_label: Government Accountability


event_title: Hilton campaign policies

text: Bring back starter homes through fast-track approvals, reduced/deferred fees, fewer regulations, and a starter-home loan program.

theme_id: housing

theme_label: Housing


text: Cut state taxes, including no state income tax on the first $100,000 and no state tax on tips.


event_title: Hilton Family First agenda

text: Hilton says he would pursue policies intended to move California toward more restrictions on abortion while expanding prenatal care and promoting adoption and support services for mothers.

theme_id: health-care

theme_label: Health Care


text: Put family policy at the center of state government, including parental control in education and policies favoring marriage and family stability.

theme_id: family-social-policy

theme_label: Family Social Policy


event_title: Hilton gas-price policy

text: Hilton proposes suspending the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and other refinery regulations that he says add significant per-gallon compliance costs.

theme_id: energy

theme_label: Energy


text: Lower gasoline prices toward $3 by suspending LCFS costs, auditing gas-tax spending, streamlining oil production permits, and replacing net-zero mandates with affordability-focused energy rules.

theme_id: gas-prices-energy

theme_label: Gas Prices Energy


text: Hilton says he would use executive action and work with the legislature to deregulate parts of California energy policy to move toward $3 gas.


event_title: Hilton prison and crime policy

text: Reopen prison capacity, end early-release policies for serious offenders, restore consequences for crime, and pair custody with rehabilitation programs.

theme_id: public-safety

theme_label: Public Safety


claim_type: assertion

text: Hilton argues that closing state prisons has contributed to overcrowded county jails and early releases ordered to avoid overcrowding.


text: Hilton says he would reverse prison closures and end what he describes as soft-on-crime policies in order to improve public safety and accountability.


event_title: Hilton Second Amendment policy

text: Direct state agencies to review policies for compliance with Second Amendment rulings and push county concealed-carry compliance.

theme_id: gun-rights

theme_label: Gun Rights


event_title: Hilton third-grade education policy

text: Hilton argues California’s declining education outcomes are a leadership and accountability problem rather than a funding problem despite high per-student spending.

theme_id: education

theme_label: Education


text: Require phonics-based early reading, publish school letter grades, reform teacher tenure and evaluation, and restore a parent-trigger path for failing schools.


text: Hilton says he would mandate phonics-based reading instruction in all K–3 classrooms through executive action and appointments to the state Board of Education.


event_title: Axios San Diego candidate Q&A: taxes and greenhouse gas goals

text: Hilton says California could cut greenhouse-gas emissions by reducing oil imports to lower emissions from supertanker shipping and by improving forest management.

theme_id: climate

theme_label: Climate


text: Hilton proposes eliminating state income tax on the first $100,000 of income and applying a flat 7.5% rate above that.


event_title: Axios San Diego candidate Q&A: homelessness plans

text: Hilton proposes using state law enforcement to clear illegal homeless encampments.

theme_id: homelessness

theme_label: Homelessness


text: Hilton says he would expand mental health bed capacity, including by adopting the IMD waiver to enable larger facilities.


event_title: Axios San Diego candidate Q&A: lowering gas and energy bills

text: Hilton says California should reduce reliance on foreign oil by using in-state reserves and easing refinery regulations to lower fuel costs.


text: Hilton argues that running California’s natural-gas power plants closer to full capacity would quickly reduce electricity bills.


event_title: CBS News California / San Francisco Examiner gubernatorial debate

text: Hilton says he would pursue a plan to increase take-home pay by making the first $100,000 of income tax-free and reducing bureaucracy.


event_title: NBC4 / Telemundo 52 statewide California gubernatorial debate

text: Hilton argues that lawsuits significantly raise insurance premiums and says Democrats have resisted changes because of trial-lawyer influence.


text: Hilton says enforcing the original Proposition 103 timeline for approving insurance rate changes would help address insurers leaving the state.


event_title: CNN California governor primary debate

text: Hilton says voters should support his plan for affordability that includes aiming for $3 gas, cutting electric bills in half, making the first $100,000 tax-free, and increasing housing affordability.

theme_id: affordability

theme_label: Affordability


claim_type: pushback

text: Hilton claims California’s higher gas prices are caused by Democratic policies rather than Donald Trump.


event_title: CBS California / Pomona College Governor's Debate

text: Hilton says his affordability plan includes aiming for $3 gas, cutting electric bills in half, and making the first $100,000 of income tax-free.


text: Hilton argues that California’s high gas tax contributes to fuel prices and says the state has the worst roads despite that tax burden.

theme_id: transportation

theme_label: Transportation


event_title: CBS News California Governor's Race Candidate Guide

text: Hilton argues California’s high gas prices are directly caused by Democrats’ climate agenda rather than a lack of in-state oil and gas reserves.


claim_type: reframe

text: Hilton says environmental policy should focus on protecting natural spaces and should not be treated as synonymous with a climate agenda centered on carbon dioxide emissions.

theme_id: environment

theme_label: Environment


event_title: Nexstar / NewsNation / The Hill California gubernatorial primary debate

text: Hilton claims Californians face the highest gas tax in the country while having the worst roads.


text: Hilton says he would use executive-branch authority to direct CalGEM to issue permits for increased in-state oil production to reduce gas prices.


event_title: Jewish California Governor 2026 Candidate Forum

text: Hilton says laws should be enforced consistently and carried out peacefully and calmly.


event_title: KQED Political Breakdown: Steve Hilton Faces the Hard Questions

text: Hilton says that as governor he would focus on enforcing the law and working with others to prevent conflicts from escalating into violence.


event_title: Black Action Alliance / KTVU / KTTV California gubernatorial debate

text: Hilton argues that California’s high cost of living is driven by Democratic policies after years of one-party rule.


claim_type: prediction

text: Hilton says he would aim to reduce fuel and electricity costs by ending what he calls Democrats’ climate policies.