California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton publicly mocked his Democratic opponent Xavier Becerra on Wednesday night after Becerra described tax relief for people earning under $150,000 a year as breaks for “the wealthiest” Californians. The exchange came just minutes into a CNN debate between the two candidates.
Becerra opened the exchange with an attack on Hilton’s tax policy, saying, “If you start making tax breaks for the wealthiest, you damage our working families like my parents, Mr. Hilton.” Hilton responded with a grin, saying, “I love the way that Xavier says the wealthiest are people who are earning less than $150,000 a year, struggling.”
Hilton’s Dig at Becerra’s Low Public Profile
Hilton did not stop at the tax jab. He also took aim at Becerra’s scarce appearances since winning the Democratic primary four months ago, adding, “I just want to say thank you to CNN for bringing Xavier out of hiding. He’s barely been seen in public since the primary, four months ago.” The comment drew attention to what critics have described as an unusually withdrawn campaign strategy by Becerra.
Hilton posted a clip of the moment to social media, writing that Becerra had described people making less than $150,000 a year as wealthy just one minute into the debate. You can read more about the California gubernatorial debate exchange and how each candidate framed the tax argument for voters.
Hilton’s Case Against High-Speed Rail and High Taxes
On policy, Hilton laid out his argument for putting more money back in Californians’ pockets by reducing government spending. “The quickest way to get more money in people’s pockets is for the government to take less out,” he said. “That’s what I’m gonna be doing, and it’s not coming from the budget that [Becerra] describes. You know where it’s coming from? Cancelling high speed rail, which he’s promised to continue with.
The state’s high-speed rail project has cost $14 billion without delivering measurable progress, a figure Hilton has repeatedly used to argue that Sacramento wastes taxpayer money on failed programs. Becerra has pledged to continue funding the project.
What Comes Next for the California Governor’s Race
The debate marks one of the few direct confrontations between the two candidates in what has been a lopsided public campaign so far, with Hilton working to build momentum in a state that has long favored Democrats. Hilton will need to sustain high voter enthusiasm and turnout to overcome the structural advantages Democrats hold in California.
Becerra, for his part, has faced scrutiny over his record and his limited public campaigning since the primary. Wednesday’s debate gave both men a rare shared stage, and the clash over who qualifies as “wealthy” is likely to remain a flashpoint as the race heads toward Election Day.
