Politics

Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Steve Hilton Pledges To Appoint Democrat Senator If Elected

Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

The Republican nominee to be California’s next governor pledged he would appoint a Democrat to fill a hypothetical Senate vacancy if elected.

GOP gubernatorial nominee and former Fox News host Steve Hilton made the pledge during an interview, published Friday, with “Pod Save America” host Jon Lovett.

Hilton’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

“You said voters shouldn’t decide the election based on who they hate in Washington,” Lovett said. “One role of the governor is filling Senate vacancies.”

“Oh, my goodness,” Hilton chuckled.

“So, Adam Schiff is frog-marched to Guantanamo … There’s an unexpected vacancy in the Senate,” Lovett continued. “Would you pledge to nominate a Democrat given that the two seats currently held were voted for— “

“Yes,” Hilton said.

“You would?” Lovett reacted.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s crazy, I mean, I just think you have to honor the vote that people took,” Hilton responded.

President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton in his campaign to win the deep-blue state in April.

“I have known and respected Steve Hilton, who is running for Governor of California, for many years. He is a truly fine man, one who has watched as this once great State has gone to Hell,” Trump posted April 6 on Truth Social.

Hilton subsequently won the Republican nomination against Riverside County sheriff-coroner Chad Bianco with 24.6% of the vote on June 2 and now faces Democratic gubernatorial nominee Xavier Becerra, the former Golden State attorney general as well as President Joe Biden’s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, in November.

The Republican nominee is polling at an average of 36.5% at the time of publication, whereas Becerra is leading at 58.0%.