{"id":24736,"date":"2026-08-02T02:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T21:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=24736"},"modified":"2026-08-02T02:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T21:07:11","slug":"bombshell-poll-shows-steve-hilton-leading-xavier-becerra-in-orange-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=24736","title":{"rendered":"Bombshell poll shows Steve Hilton leading Xavier Becerra in Orange County"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F08%2F136201038.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/30\/us-news\/steve-hilton-calls-out-xavier-becerra-over-migrant-children-container-site-claims\/\">Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton\u2019s uphill battle to beat Democrat Xavier Becerra<\/a> in liberal-leaning California is resonating in a key, populous Southern California county.<\/p>\n<p>A new poll by the University of California, Irvine taken June 9 to 12 showed Orange County voters giving Hilton 47% of the vote share, above Becerra\u2019s 44%.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Steve Hilton. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Xavier Becerra. <span class=\"credit\">David Buchan for Ca Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The same poll also showed that Hilton has more support among his base of Orange County Republicans, at 94%, compared to the 82% of Democrats supporting Becerra there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have moved ahead of Becerra in California\u2019s 3rd largest county,\u201d Hilton said Saturday regarding the poll. \u201cMillions of Californians are saying: Enough Is Enough! Let\u2019s Fix California!\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Orange County was historically a reliable Republican stronghold, but over the past decade <a href=\"https:\/\/voiceofoc.org\/2026\/05\/santana-how-will-orange-countys-purple-voters-impact-the-june-primary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has shifted dramatically<\/a> to claim more Democrat voter registrations than GOP ones.<\/p>\n<p>Even then, Republican candidates have been able to hold office in the area due to the county\u2019s \u201cpurple\u201d reputation from a rise in independent voters. Nearly a third of county voters are not affiliated with a political party.<\/p>\n<p>According to the new poll, 46% of Orange County independents picked Becerra over 38% for Hilton \u2014 but the Republican\u2019s draw has been enough to put him ahead overall.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Cali - Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia&#8217;s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Orange County voters are not as blue as the rest of the state. <span class=\"credit\">Albert \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Part of Hilton\u2019s allure could be due to the fact that he is not as \u201cextreme\u201d as Republicans like Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who lost in the gubernatorial primary, poll director Jon Gould <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/2026\/07\/29\/what-orange-county-voters-tell-us-about-the-state-of-the-race-for-california-governor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told The Orange County Register.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs potential candidates go, Hilton kind of presents himself like we may have seen in the past with some of the more moderately conservative Republicans,\u201d Gould said.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>California Post News<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCaliforniaPost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@CaliforniaPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@thecaliforniapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029Vb6a2IV1NCrL6q2AWq0E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post Sports<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/capostsports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/capostsports\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CaliforniaPostSports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post  <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opinion<\/a> <br \/><strong>California Post Newsletters<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/email.nypost.com\/#california-post\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post App<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download here!<\/a><br \/><strong>Home delivery<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribe.californiapost.com\/defaultCAP\">Sign up here!<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/><\/a><strong>Page Six Hollywood<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/hollywood-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Orange County voters stand in line. <span class=\"credit\">MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Recent efforts by Hilton to navigate President Donald Trump \u2014 who endorsed him but is generally unpopular among Californians \u2014 may help, Gould added. For example, Hilton<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/22\/us-news\/steve-hilton-courts-anti-trump-voters-with-new-political-ads\/\"> recently took out a full page ad <\/a>asking \u201cCan you be anti-Trump but still vote for me?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Hilton campaign has made clear it\u2019s proud of Trump\u2019s endorsement, but much of his messaging has been squarely focused on people\u2019s dissatisfaction with the status quo.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless, Becerra is still polling at a huge advantage statewide.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/16\/us-news\/xavier-becerra-leading-steve-hilton-in-california-governors-race-poll\/\">survey from the Public Policy Institute of California<\/a> released mid-July found Becerra leading Hilton by\u00a025 percentage points, with\u00a061% of likely voters backing the former US health secretary compared to 36% for Hilton.<\/p>\n<p>Election Day is Nov. 3, with mail ballots going out by Oct. 5.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton\u2019s uphill battle to beat Democrat Xavier Becerra in liberal-leaning California is resonating in a key, populous Southern California county. A new poll by the University of California, Irvine taken June 9 to 12 showed Orange County voters giving Hilton 47% of the vote share, above Becerra\u2019s 44%. Steve Hilton. Getty&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/136201038.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}