A new campaign ad from California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is causing an uproar. It opens with two young women in a dimly lit bedroom, a rainbow flag in the background, exchanging suggestive dialogue: one nervously says "I can't believe I'm doing this," while the other soothes her — "Don't be nervous. It's not that bad... just try it. Give me your hand, close your eyes, and I'll do all the work." The camera then reveals the pair filling in a ballot bubble for Hilton, closing with "Now lick it," referring to the mail-ballot envelope. The tagline: "Just Try It! Steve Hilton for Governor." The spot had drawn nearly 5 million views on X by Saturday afternoon.
The condemnation came first from Hilton's own Republican allies. Michael Gates, the GOP attorney general candidate on Hilton's "Golden Ticket" slate, issued a lengthy statement: "I emphatically denounce the use of young women as a political tool." Sonja Shaw, running for state superintendent, wrote on X: "Shame on you... this creepy, weird, disturbing garbage." Conservative pastor Jack Hibbs called the ad "grotesque" but said he would still back Hilton over the Democrat. Democrats piled on too, with Rep. Robert Garcia and the California Democratic Party chairman joining the chorus.
Hilton acknowledged the ad provoked strong reactions but defended it as "a provocative and humorous way of making a point." His campaign said the spot is the first in a six-figure TV and digital buy targeting Gen Z and millennial voters, with a core message that voting Republican can be an act of "rebellion." On questions about whether the women were AI-generated, Hilton denied it, saying the ad was made by "a great and talented director." The ad carries no AI disclaimer, even as California lawmakers push legislation requiring AI-generated political ads to be labeled.
The controversy lands as Hilton trails badly in the polls. A UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll showed Democrat Xavier Becerra leading 58% to 33%. The two candidates held their sole televised debate on CNN last Wednesday. Some conservatives defended Hilton: former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt said, "This fake moral panic is why republicans lose... Steve Hilton is the ONLY one trying to win." California's gubernatorial election is November 3.