Republican Candidate for California Governor Steve Hilton Releases Lesbian-Themed Campaign Ad
In early October 2026, California Republican gubernatorial nominee Steve Hilton sparked intense public discussion after releasing a provocative campaign video titled “Just try it, California.” Aimed at younger Gen Z and millennial voters, the 30-second spot portrays an intimate romantic encounter between two young women that serves as an extended metaphor for casting a first-time vote for a conservative candidate.
According to a report by LGBTQ Nation , the scene takes place in a softly lit bedroom featuring a Progress Pride flag in the background. An anxious young woman with blue hair and a “RESIST” shirt admits to the red-haired woman beside her that she has never done anything like this before and worries about her father’s reaction. Her partner gently strokes her hair and reassures her, saying, “Don’t be nervous. It’s not that bad… Just try it. Look, give me your hand, close your eyes, and I’ll do all the work.” The video then reveals her guiding her partner’s hand to fill in the bubble on a mail-in ballot for Steve Hilton rather than his Democratic opponent, Xavier Becerra. The clip ends with a suggestive double entendre: “Now lick it” — referring to sealing the return envelope.
The ad quickly went viral on social media, racking up millions of views, but drew divided reactions across the political spectrum. As reported by the Los Angeles Times , fellow Republicans on Hilton’s own statewide slate openly condemned the spot. Michael Gates, the Republican nominee for California Attorney General, said he “emphatically denounce[s] the use of young women as a political tool,” while superintendent of public instruction candidate Sonja Shaw described the ad as unacceptable and violating parental concerns. Evangelical megachurch pastor Jack Hibbs called the video “grotesque” and accused it of promoting lesbianism, though he maintained his preference for Hilton over the Democratic alternative. Democrats also criticized the effort: openly gay U.S. Representative Robert Garcia dismissed it as a desperate stunt by a trailing candidate, while Becerra’s campaign mocked the visible rift among California conservatives.
Steve Hilton defended the campaign ad, arguing that provocative humor is needed to cut through partisan preconceptions and reach Californians who are frustrated by high taxes, the housing crisis, and decades of Democratic governance, yet hesitate to vote Republican because of the party label. The candidate noted that the ad features consenting adults and aligns with his established positions: Hilton has long backed same-sex marriage while supporting age restrictions on youth gender-transition procedures and scholastic sports. Former California Republican Party chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson observed that the campaign was taking a calculated risk to broaden its appeal beyond traditional party voters. Veteran gay conservative activist Fred Karger characterized the commercial as unconventional and clever, though he questioned whether it could meaningfully sway liberal youth.
The 57-year-old Steve Hilton is a British-American political strategist, former senior adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron, and former Fox News host who now resides in California. In the November 2026 gubernatorial election, he faces Xavier Becerra, the Democratic former California Attorney General and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Biden administration. According to polling by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, Becerra holds a commanding lead of more than 20 percentage points in a state that has not elected a Republican governor in two decades.
Previously, Urania covered criticism of Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra by activists over his positions on gender issues, and reported on the endorsement slate of the gay conservative group Log Cabin Republicans in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections.
