Ex-Cameron adviser Steve Hilton loses California governor race to Xavier Becerra

Steve Hilton, the former senior adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron, has lost his bid to become governor of California, with Democrat Xavier Becerra projected as the winner within minutes of polls closing in the state. Hilton, a Republican who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, faced long odds in the heavily Democratic state. Polls had given him only a slim chance of victory on an election night when Democrats recorded historic wins across the country. Becerra will make history as California's first Latino governor in more than 150 years. He succeeds Gavin Newsom, who is prevented from running again by term limits. The incoming governor brings a long record in public office. Becerra represented Los Angeles in Congress for 24 years, served as California's top prosecutor, and was Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration. In a victory speech in Sacramento, the state capital, on Tuesday night, Becerra said: "We fought and we won." He said the last few years had been tough for the state under Trump's leadership but "we hung in there, fought back. It felt like mission: impossible, we knew it was mission: necessary." He told supporters: "You have now entered the Becerra era." Hilton, an architect of the UK Conservative Party's "Big Society" agenda under Cameron who presented himself as a political outsider in the race, acknowledged defeat at an event with supporters. He pointed to the Democratic wave washing over much of the country, which gave the party full control of the US Congress. "Maybe this isn't the best year to be running for office as a Republican when you see what's going on around the country, but I tell you what, this is the best place to be running for office as a Republican because there is nowhere better than California," he said. He called California "the greatest place in the greatest nation on earth" and said it had been an honour and a joy to travel the state during the campaign. "The change we hoped for may be delayed but the change is coming," he added. The governor's race began with a wide field of contenders but came into focus when Congressman Eric Swalwell, who appeared to be an early leader in the contest, dropped out over sexual assault allegations, which he has denied. Becerra and Hilton ultimately emerged as the frontrunners in the June primary, edging out progressive billionaire Tom Steyer. The two men debated one another in April. Both candidates centred their campaigns on the Golden State's high cost of living, housing affordability, energy policy and relations with the federal government. Hilton campaigned to "save" California from what he described as overbearing bureaucracy and economic decline, and pledged to restore affordability and opportunity in what he called "the most incredible place in the world".