California voters chose Tuesday between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton to be the next governor of the nation's most populous state. President Donald Trump and the state's high cost of living hung over the race, the Associated Press reported through PBS News.
The winner will replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cannot seek a third term and is weighing a run for the White House.
Becerra is a former state attorney general, congressman and U.S. health secretary under President Joe Biden. He promised to keep California a liberal counterweight to the Trump administration. He argued that his more than 35 years in government make him the right choice. At a September debate, he said the state needs someone who has balanced a budget like California's and stood up to Trump.
Hilton, a former political adviser in the United Kingdom and a Fox News host, has never held elected office. He pitched himself as a fresh start after 15 years of Democratic leadership. He blamed Democrats for high costs for gas, housing and college. He promised to abolish the DMV and to bring gas down to $3 a gallon. Trump endorsed him.
Hilton faced long odds. Democrats make up about 45% of registered voters in California, compared with about 25% for Republicans.
Becerra was not an early favorite. His campaign took off after former Rep. Eric Swalwell, seen as the front-runner, left the race and resigned from Congress following sexual assault allegations, which he denies. Becerra then ran a low-key campaign and worked to tie Hilton to Trump.
The race also drew a legal fight. The Justice Department sued to stop California from counting ballots from up to 20,000 people it claimed might be noncitizens. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected that demand Monday, after lower courts also sided with the state.
Sources: PBS News, The Associated Press