Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, said he has seen no evidence to support claims that the 2020 election was rigged [1, 2].
This departure from the narrative promoted by Donald Trump marks a significant break between a high-profile state candidate and the former president's ongoing assertions regarding election integrity.
During an interview on the Erin Burnett program on CNN, Hilton addressed the claims that the 2020 election results in California were fraudulent [1, 2]. He said there is nothing to justify the claim that the process was rigged or that intervention was necessary [1, 2].
Hilton said his position is based on a lack of evidence of voter fraud within the state [1, 2]. This stance contrasts with the rhetoric of Donald Trump, who has continued to challenge the 2020 results. According to reports, Trump has repeated the claim that the 2020 election was rigged at least 107 [3] times in the last six months.
The candidate's comments come as he seeks to establish his own platform for the governorship. By distancing himself from the election-fraud narrative, Hilton is positioning himself differently than candidates who have aligned with the former president's views on the 2020 vote [1, 2].
While Trump has remained focused on the 2020 results, he has recently engaged in other official duties, such as honoring 13 [4] U.S. service members killed in the Iran war [4].
“"We've seen nothing"”
Hilton's refusal to endorse the 'rigged election' narrative suggests a potential strategic shift among some Republican candidates in California. By prioritizing a lack of evidence over party loyalty to Trump's claims, Hilton may be attempting to appeal to a broader or more moderate electorate in a state where election integrity is a highly polarized issue.
