Steve Hilton transitioned from a prominent figure in British conservative politics to a contender in the California governor’s race. His past involvement in British politics and his current ambitions in the U.S. have puzzled his former colleagues.
Earlier this year, during a forum for gubernatorial candidates in California, Hilton shared his television interests. He mentioned watching ‘The Thick of It,’ a British political satire. ‘It’s from the producers of ‘Veep,’’ he explained, adding that it was ‘incredibly profane.’ He noted a character in the show who curses profusely, revealing, ‘To my horror, there is a character based on me.’
Hilton, 56, is far from a conventional candidate in heavily Democratic California. Originally from Britain, he once served as an influential aide to Prime Minister David Cameron. Fourteen years ago, Hilton relocated to California, eventually becoming a Fox News commentator. Now, he is a prominent contender in the California governor’s primary, with the top two candidates moving forward to the general election in November, regardless of their party affiliation.
Hilton’s re-entry into politics has left his former British colleagues bemused. In ‘The Thick of It,’ his counterpart, Stewart Pearson, appears as a buffoon trying to introduce ‘thought circles’ to bemused Tories, uttering phrases like ‘knowledge is porridge.’ Meanwhile, Hilton’s image in the UK grew as a flamboyant figure known for strolling through Downing Street in shorts without shoes and proposing controversial ideas such as using cloud-bursting technology to make Britain sunnier and eliminating maternity leave—a characterization he disputes.
In 2012, Hilton exited politics to follow his wife, Rachel Whetstone, a fellow Tory strategist, to the United States. Whetstone embarked on a successful career in the tech industry, holding senior communications positions at companies like Netflix and Google. Hilton became a Fox News host and counts Rupert Murdoch, founder of the media empire that owns Fox News, as one of his major financial supporters. According to campaign finance records, Google co-founder Sergey Brin also supports him.
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