Gavin Newsom (Image: Getty)
The leading Republican candidate to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom took aim at the outgoing governor in a new scathing ad that criticized his administration’s policies affecting restaurant owners.
Steve Hilton, the former political adviser and Fox News contributor who is leading all other gubernatorial candidates in California’s jungle primary, released the ad on X. Restaurant owners told Hilton that operating their businesses has become more costly and complicated after nearly eight years of Newsom as governor.
Speaking with the owner of KC Steakhouse in Bakersfield, Hilton was told owners are hit with changes to the law “every other day.” The owner, who was identified only by her first name Cassie, said the state introduced a law at the start of the year requiring all wholesale purchases of alcohol be made by electronic payment.
She complained that her older mother who runs the business’ finances now has to download and learn a new app.
“It’s made our life hell,” she told Hilton.
Cassie also complained about paying an unemployment benefit tax and the possibility of having to fight a liability lawsuit filed by a customer.
“It all hurts,” she said. “And it doesn’t matter where they’re adding the taxes because there’s too many taxes on us as a business.
“Years of Democrat policies have made it a nightmare to run a restaurant in California!” Hilton wrote in the post. “I once had a couple myself, so I hate to see small local businesses punished like this.”
Hilton, a British American was the senior adviser to former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, moved to California in 2012, when he co-founded a political crowdfunding platform in Silicon Valley.
He’s also authored books that promoted decentralizing power from governments to food and health care institutions. For six years, he hosted a weekly show on Fox News.
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Steve Hilton is leading all candidates to replace Newsom, according to a new poll (Image: Getty)
According to a poll released by Kreate Strategies on Sunday, Hilton is leading all candidates for governor with 22% of the vote. Democrat Xavier Becerra, who served as Joe Biden’s health secretary, trails by two points.
Other challengers, including Democrat Tom Steyer and Republican Chad Bianco, hold sizable support at 14% and 13% respectively.
“The race continues to develop without full consolidation,” Kevin Wen, CEO of Kreate Strategies, said in a news release. “With multiple candidates remaining competitive and undecided voters still in play, the electorate remains fluid heading into the primary.”
The race to replace Newsom opened up considerably after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race when allegations of sexual assault surfaced this year. Becerra was consistently polling at just single digits before Swalwell left.
California will hold its nonpartisan primary on June 2. The top two candidates regardless of party advance to a general election.
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