Sep 23, 2026 · 56 min
California Republicans test an anti-establishment comeback
Steve Hilton & Spencer Pratt: Fixing California, Cheaper Gas, Ballot Fraud & CA Republicans
The conversation examines whether conservative candidates can overcome California’s one-party political system, ballot operations, and entrenched policy incentives.
- 1Steve Hilton frames California’s decline as the product of one-party rule, regulatory overreach, high costs, and Sacramento interest groups.
- 2Spencer Pratt links his Los Angeles campaign, ballot-harvesting claims, wildfire recovery, and AI-assisted media to a broader anti-establishment strategy.
- 3The hosts debate whether Republicans can compete in California by emphasizing local outcomes rather than national party labels.
Don't miss
Spencer Pratt recounts leading early Los Angeles election results before late-counted mail ballots changed the outcome, prompting a dispute over ballot harvesting and fraud.
The brief
Steve Hilton opens with a campaign to redirect California, blaming one-party rule, regulatory layers, high costs, homelessness policies, and Sacramento’s entrenched interests.
Hilton’s proposed reset includes cutting government waste, reducing regulations and hidden fuel costs, canceling high-speed rail, shrinking the state workforce, and changing homelessness policy.
Spencer Pratt joins to describe his Los Angeles mayoral campaign, viral AI-assisted videos, and opposition to Karen Bass after late-counted mail ballots changed the result.
The discussion turns contentious over ballot harvesting, voter rolls, signature verification, and the distinction between illegal fraud and election practices permitted under California law.
Pratt and Hilton connect homelessness, wildfire recovery, public spending, and local governance to a larger question: can conservatives win California by focusing on practical outcomes?
What was said on this episode
30 statements · 13 positive · 15 negative · 1 mixed · 1 neutral
California currently has the nation’s highest poverty, unemployment, and cost-of-living rates.
“Today in California, we have the highest poverty rate in the country. The highest unemployment rate, the highest cost of living by far.”
Listen at 3:07
California ranks last among states for business climate.
“50th out of 50 for business climate.”
Listen at 3:32
California businesses face a 90% chance of ending up in litigation.
“You run a business in California, you start a business in California, 90% chance you're going to end up in litigation.”
Listen at 5:07
Hilton will reduce California regulations below 200,000 by the end of his first term.
“we're going to cut the number of regulations in California from where we are today, which is over 420,000, by the end of my first term to under 200,000”
Listen at 6:24
Hilton’s campaign will win if it receives more votes.
“If we get more votes, we'll win.”
Listen at 8:53
California’s business exodus will become a stampede without political change.
“if we don't show some change here and some balance in our system, it's going to turn into a stampede for the exits.”
Listen at 11:58
Hilton will cancel California’s high-speed rail project.
“We're going to cancel high-speed rail.”
Listen at 14:14
Hilton will reduce California government headcount by 10%.
“We're going to have a 10% headcount reduction in the government”
Listen at 14:16
Hilton proposes making the first $150,000 of income state-tax-free.
“Your first $150 grand tax-free, no state income tax.”
Listen at 14:32
California gasoline prices could fall from $6 toward $3 per gallon.
“Instead of $6 gas, we can get towards $3 gas in California like you have in other states right now.”
Listen at 15:07
Hilton will cap California vehicle registration at $73 annually.
“we are going to cap vehicle registration at the flat registration rate of $73 per vehicle per year”
Listen at 15:55
Hilton assesses Xavier Becerra as worse than Gavin Newsom.
“He'll just go along with it. He's even worse than Newsom.”
Listen at 17:51
California’s net private-sector job creation since the pandemic is nearly zero.
“The figure for net private sector job creation since the pandemic in California is basically zero.”
Listen at 20:13
California’s political machine allegedly launders tax money while worsening street deaths.
“They launder all of our tax money to increase people dying on our streets.”
Listen at 22:16
Higher voter turnout can overcome alleged election cheating margins.
“You can beat these margins of cheating with voting.”
Listen at 24:57
California’s current system punishes compliance and rewards wrongdoing.
“if you do the right thing, you're punished, and if you do the wrong thing, you're rewarded.”
Listen at 31:30
Hilton proposes creating 10 new cities in California.
“I've got a plan here that we're publishing today, 10 New Cities for California.”
Listen at 36:08
Steve Hilton will win if people turn out to vote.
“If people vote, Steve wins.”
Listen at 37:32
Belief in an entrenched political machine should not deter electoral participation.
“I don't think the machine and the idea that we can't win should stop from trying.”
Listen at 37:53
The ballot-harvesting practices Pratt describes are legal rather than theft.
“What I've learned is it's not stealing, it's legal.”
Listen at 38:29
California law prohibits some electioneering but permits DSA ballot harvesting in apartment buildings.
“This is electioneering. This is illegal. But it's not illegal for DSA commies to ride around on their bikes and to go into your apartment building”
Listen at 42:30
Republican ballot harvesting does not work without nefarious tactics.
“Unless you are nefarious, it doesn't work.”
Listen at 44:59
Potentially one million ballots could be available for DSA harvesting.
“There could be potentially a million ballots out and about that now A DSA person could harvest”
Listen at 45:39
California should adopt voter identification requirements.
“The point is we need voter ID. People need to get that on the ballot.”
Listen at 45:59
Gavin Newsom and California state parks allowed hazardous brush accumulation around communities.
“it's our Gavin Newsom and our state parks that allowed the 60 years of dead fuels, dead brush. To surround our communities knowing that there's no firebreak.”
Listen at 47:54
Pratt cannot rebuild until his lawsuit against state and local agencies succeeds.
“I won't be able to build until we win the lawsuit against Gavin Newsom and his state parks and the city and the LADWP”
Listen at 49:03
State parks and LADWP are liable for wildfire damage and empty reservoirs.
“the state park is liable for allowing a dangerous condition to burn down the community. The LADWP is liable for leaving the reservoirs empty and having no water.”
Listen at 50:02
Los Angeles needs a mayor who enforces existing laws.
“What LA needs is a mayor that enforces the law.”
Listen at 50:55
Pratt proposed converting Skid Row entirely into data centers.
“I was going to turn Skid Row into all just data centers.”
Listen at 52:43
Pratt has two years to organize within Los Angeles communities.
“2 years to really get into these communities.”
Listen at 54:53
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Featuring
Steve Hilton
Spencer PrattMentioned
California
Los Angeles
Democratic Socialists of AmericaListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.