Adam Carolla Show Republican Steve Hilton on His Rapid Rise in California Governor Race
Feb 23, 2026
Steve Hilton, British-born political commentator and former Downing Street adviser running for California governor. He talks about fixing broken government processes, trimming waste and fraud, and capping vehicle fees to help working people. They debate lawsuit abuses, VMT rules blocking growth, homelessness enforcement, and policies driving wealth out of the state.
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Set Up A Statewide Whistleblower Audit System
- Audit state spending aggressively using a controller with real audit power to find fraud and waste.
- Hilton created 'CalDoge' and a whistleblower tip line califraud.com to surface construction and contracting abuses.
Restaurant Undercut By Illegal Street Vendors
- Steve Hilton visited East L.A. and heard a Mexican restaurant owner describe being undercut by illegal street vendors.
- The legitimate business faced inspections, permits, and fees while illegal vendors operated unchecked right outside their door.
Labor Laws Turn Into Extortion Industry
- California's Private Attorney General Act created an industry of litigation that functions like extortion against small businesses.
- Steve Hilton explains lawyers advertise to sue restaurants over minor paperwork errors, forcing costly settlements that enrich lawyers and government.