Steve Hilton’s California Dream: Wooing Latino Voters

When I informed my dad about having tacos with Steve Hilton, he laughed heartily. In Spanish, he asked, “Isn’t he with Trump?” Indeed, Hilton, the former Fox News host, has set his sights on becoming California’s next governor by appealing to Latinos with promises of affordability, lower taxes, and the California Dream. He even placed full-page ads persuading Trump opponents to choose him over Democrat Xavier Becerra.

“He’ll say whatever suits him,” my dad quipped as we waited for Hilton at King Taco’s flagship in East LA. We donned our libertarian best: jeans, leather belts, pearl snap shirts. I used Suavecito pomade, and my dad wore alligator boots and a 100X gray Stetson. Hilton showed up looking ready for a party, clad in a black open-collar shirt, dark slacks, and white Adidas with orange stripes. His wrists bore a “Charlie Kirk” and a “Save Girls” band.

In May, I challenged Hilton to have tacos with my dad and me after he called Del Taco’s hard-shell tacos in Barstow “street.” Undeterred by the internet’s mockery, Hilton continued to court Latinos, visiting East LA multiple times and serving tacos after lowrider cruises.

“Things haven’t improved much here,” Hilton noted as we stood in King Taco’s line. “A lot of poverty and crime. Democrats assume [Latinos] will vote for them forever.” I acknowledged Hilton’s effort to win over Latinos, who are “the past and future” of California, he told us. Meanwhile, Becerra, Hilton’s opponent, campaigned with ease.

Hilton’s campaign embraced legal immigrants, but he faced skepticism from many whose families arrived illegally, including my own. Hilton attempted to explain he referred to those striving to stay “without papers,” rather than those now legalized, but this distinction met resistance from us.

As we ate, Hilton asserted that some don’t wish to become citizens, citing criminal affiliations. Our meal continued with such discussions, revealing his MAGA-focused view. Despite Latino outreach, this approach seemed incapable of winning Sacramento.

I told Hilton I didn’t see him as a racist, despite Becerra’s accusation in the CNN debate. However, Hilton appeared out of touch with realities affecting undocumented immigrants. My dad vividly narrated being smuggled into the U.S. in 1968, a tale that left Hilton perplexed. Hilton contended most Latinos he met were proud to have “done it the right way.”

Some Latinos have grown less sympathetic to illegal immigration, before Trump’s harsh actions left a mark. Hilton prioritized reducing living costs over addressing undocumented residents’ issues. He correctly stated a governor can’t legalize immigrants, but past governors protected undocumented residents through legislation. Yet Hilton hesitated to advocate for them, claiming he didn’t know what to support.

My dad refrained from labeling Trump’s actions as racist but criticized ICE for inhumane tactics. Hilton didn’t view racism as a motive in Trump’s deportations, citing the need for order in immigration. Despite this, he voiced concern about overreaching agents and intended to address the issue with border czar Tom Homan.

In closing, Hilton emphasized California’s potential and spirit but failed to sway my dad. While my dad appreciated aspects of Hilton’s viewpoints, he remained unmoved by Hilton’s stance on immigration. Hilton proposed voting for him alone, to which my dad replied with a laugh, rejecting the offer. As Hilton departed, he left his trash behind, prompting my dad to conclude we should vote for the poor, as Republican politicians seemed primarily wealthy.