Translating into Русский. The English version is shown until it is ready.
California Republican Steve Hilton's 'Just Try It' ad denounced by Republicans
Коротко
Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is facing bipartisan criticism over a campaign video, “Just Try It, California,” that uses sexual innuendo to depict two young women filling out a ballot for him. Fellow Republicans including attorney general candidate Michael Gates and schools superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw denounced the ad, while Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia called it “bizarre and desperate.” Hilton, who trails Democrat Xavier Becerra in the polls, defended the ad in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Читать полностью 2 мин чтения
Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for California governor, is facing criticism from members of his own party over a campaign video titled “Just Try It, California.” The ad shows two young women sitting on a bed with an LGBTQ+ or pride flag behind them; one urges the other to try something new, then guides her hand to mark her ballot for Hilton rather than Democrat Xavier Becerra, and tells her to lick the mail ballot envelope. The Los Angeles Times reported the ad had been viewed nearly 5 million times as of Saturday afternoon. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Michael Gates, the Republican candidate for attorney general who has appeared alongside Hilton at campaign events, said he “emphatically” denounced the use of young women as a political tool. “My campaign was not consulted, nor alerted to its release,” Gates wrote on X, adding that as attorney general he would “fight every day to protect our girls, young women, and parental rights.” [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Sonja Shaw, the Republican nominee for state superintendent of public instruction, criticized Hilton as well as the California Republican Party and its chairwoman for promoting the ad, which she called “creepy, weird, disturbing garbage.” She wrote on X that it was “a clear example of exactly why good people are walking away from the Republican party” and that it “crosses a line.” [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Democrats also condemned the video. Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, told the Los Angeles Times the ad was “bizarre and desperate,” arguing Hilton was “more interested in AI slop than actually talking about issues Californians care about.” State Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks also condemned it. [ 1 , 2 ]
Newsweek reported that Hilton defended the ad in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, without giving his full comments. The controversy comes as Hilton, a British former political adviser to David Cameron and a former Fox News host, is trailing Becerra in the polls in a state where voters have not elected a Republican governor since 2004. The election is on Nov. 3. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Почему это важно
The rebuke from candidates on Hilton's own ticket is unusual and puts intra-party friction on display weeks before the Nov. 3 election. It lands as Hilton, a longshot in a state where voters have not elected a Republican governor since 2004, is trying to close a polling gap with Democrat Xavier Becerra. Coverage by national outlets indicates attention well beyond California.
Ключевые факты
- Steve Hilton is the Republican candidate for California governor and the ad is titled “Just Try It, California.” [ 2 , 4 ]
- The video shows two young women on a bed with an LGBTQ+ or pride flag behind them, with one coaching the other to mark her ballot for Hilton rather than Democrat Xavier Becerra and then saying “lick it,” referring to the mail ballot envelope. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Republican attorney general candidate Michael Gates said he “emphatically” denounced the use of young women as a political tool and that his campaign was not consulted or alerted to the video's release. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Sonja Shaw, the Republican nominee for state superintendent of public instruction, called the ad “creepy, weird, disturbing garbage.” [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia called the ad “bizarre and desperate,” and state Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks also condemned it. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Los Angeles Times reported the ad had been viewed nearly 5 million times as of Saturday afternoon. [ 1 ]
- Hilton is trailing Becerra in the polls, and California voters have not elected a Republican governor since 2004. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The election is Nov. 3. [ 1 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- Hilton is drawing criticism from members of his own party, as well as Democrats, over the campaign ad. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Republican attorney general candidate Michael Gates denounced the ad's use of young women as a political tool. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Republican schools superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw called the ad “creepy, weird, disturbing garbage” and criticized Hilton and the state party for promoting it. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Hilton is trailing Democrat Xavier Becerra in the race for California governor. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Пока неясно
- Whether Hilton's campaign coordinated the ad with other Republicans on his ticket. Only Gates is quoted saying his campaign was not consulted or alerted to the release, and no other document addresses coordination.
- Hilton's full response to the criticism. Newsweek says Hilton defended the ad in a Los Angeles Times interview, but the passage carrying his comments is truncated in the document.
- The size of Becerra's polling lead. The documents say Hilton trails significantly or is a longshot but give no polling numbers.
- The exact date the ad was released. The Guardian says only that it was released “last week.”
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- The Los Angeles Times reports the ad had been viewed nearly 5 million times as of Saturday afternoon and that Republican candidates Gates and Shaw had denounced it. [ 1 ]
- Newsweek reports Hilton is facing criticism from his own party as he tries to close a polling gap with Becerra in the final month of the race. [ 2 ]
- The New York Times reports the online spot has befuddled Republicans and Democrats watching the governor's race. [ 3 ]
- The Guardian reports Hilton faces heavy backlash from within his own party over the ad amid his longshot bid. [ 4 ]