Steve Hilton Vows to Keep Fighting for California After Election Loss
Steve Hilton stood on the sand in Huntington Beach and delivered a clear message after the results came in: the fight is not over. Speaking at the site of his final campaign rally, he thanked the thousands who showed up and made it plain that a loss on election night does not end the effort to change the state.
“Hi everyone, I’m here at Huntington Beach. Just a couple of nights ago, right here, we had thousands of people for our final rally, so full of energy and excitement and optimism about the change that they wanted to see in California,” Hilton said. “Well, that didn’t happen. Obviously this was not the best year to run as a Republican.”
He spent the bulk of the message praising the campaign his supporters built rather than dwelling on the outcome. “I just want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who came to this incredible rally in Huntington Beach, to everyone who came to all our events. We had such an amazing, amazing energy and enthusiasm in this campaign, and you made that happen,” he said. He singled out the team, calling it “the best political team on any campaign in this country,” and stressed that the effort stayed positive. “It was incredibly positive and full of ideas and solutions, not just complaining about what’s gone wrong in California, but actually putting forward ideas for how we can make things better.”
Hilton pointed to the coastline behind him and framed the work ahead as a long-term project. “Whatever happened in this election, this is an amazing state. Look at how beautiful this state is. It’s the best place anywhere, and we are going to fight to make it better,” he said. He described the campaign as the start of something larger.
“We’ve built a real movement here in this campaign, a real movement. Every single one of you who’ve been part of that… is part of changing California for the long term. We are going to make it happen. The change may be delayed, but the change is coming. I promise you that.”
He closed by tying his own commitment to the state’s future. “I am here for the long term. I love this state. I just want to make this the best place anywhere to live, to dream, to build, to start and raise a family, to start and grow a business. That is California. That is what we’re fighting for, and the fight goes on. I hope you are with me.”