What Happened to Stephen Glenn Charles Hilton?

Stephen Glenn Charles Hilton, born August 25, 1969, is a British and American conservative political commentator and former political adviser. His early career saw him work for the Conservative Central Office in the UK, where he became acquainted with David Cameron. He later served as Director of Strategy for British Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2012, playing a key role in modernizing the Conservative Party's image.

After his tenure in UK politics, Hilton moved to the United States in 2012, settling in Silicon Valley. He became a visiting fellow and scholar at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and also taught at Stanford's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. During this period, he co-founded Crowdpac.com, a political crowdfunding platform, from which he resigned as CEO in 2018.

In November 2016, Hilton endorsed Donald Trump for president and, starting in 2017, hosted 'The Next Revolution,' a weekly current affairs show on Fox News Channel. He became known for advocating 'positive populism' and was a strong endorser of President Trump. His show often featured discussions on election fraud claims following the 2020 presidential election.

In June 2023, Fox News announced the end of 'The Next Revolution,' as Hilton decided to dedicate himself full-time to a 'new California non-partisan policy organization' that launched the following week. He remained a contributor to the network. This organization was identified as Golden Together, a bipartisan research institute he initiated with Lanhee Chen and Gloria Romero in 2023, focusing on issues like reducing California's housing shortage through proposed ballot initiatives.

As of 2026, Steve Hilton is actively campaigning as a Republican candidate for Governor of California in the primary scheduled for June 2, 2026, with the general election on November 3, 2026. He officially launched his campaign on April 21, 2025, holding an announcement event in Huntington Beach. His platform, dubbed 'CALIFORDABLE,' aims to address California's affordability crisis, high taxes, and the perceived 'staggering incompetence of Democrat one-party rule.' He has also proposed overhauling energy policy and appointing new leadership at key state agencies.

Recent polls in March 2026 indicate Hilton is leading the crowded gubernatorial race, with support from 19% of likely voters in one UC Berkeley Citrin Center for Public Opinion Research and Politico poll, and also leading in an Emerson College poll. He has also demonstrated strong fundraising, raising over $4.1 million in the second half of 2025. Hilton's campaign has formed an 'unprecedented “Golden Ticket”' of candidates, including Gloria Romero for Lieutenant Governor and Michael Gates for Attorney General, aiming to challenge the state's long-standing Democratic dominance.