Steve Hilton launches ad mocking Xavier Becerra’s ’36 years’as a career politician in California gov race

CaliforniaRepublican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton launched a new campaign ad Saturday targeting former Biden administration official Xavier Becerra, signaling the general election fight may already be underway even as primary ballots continue to be counted.

The 55-second ad mocks Becerra’s lengthy political career and record in government, portraying the Democrat as a continuation of California’s political status quo.

The ad features silent clips of Becerra appearing on an old-fashioned TV screen while captions flash across the screen, including: “I’ve been a career politician for 36 years.Vote for me.”

Other captions reference issues likely to become central themes in the governor’s race, including homelessness, California’s high-speed rail project and Becerra’s tenure as secretary of Health and Human Services in former PresidentJoe Biden‘s administration.

HILTON, BECERRA, IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

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The ad also attempts to tie Becerra to Gov.Gavin Newsom, ending with the message: “I’ll change nothing about how California is governed,” followed by the tagline, “Don’t watch another rerun.”

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The ad comes less than 24 hours after The Associated Press projected Becerrawould advanceto California’s November gubernatorial election to succeed the term-limited Newsom.

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Republican governor candidate Steve Hilton speaks during a news conference in Huntington Beach, Calif.(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, File)

As vote counting continued Saturday, Becerra led the field with 26.8% of the vote, according to AP totals.Hilton received 26.4%, while DemocratTom Steyerhad 21.1%.

Roughly 68% of ballots had been counted as of Saturday afternoon.

In a statement after the AP race call, Becerra celebrated the result and framed his campaign as a fight for California voters.

XAVIER BECERRA PRESSED ON ‘RUMORS’ HE KNEW ABOUT ERIC SWALWELL’S ALLEGED MISCONDUCT DURING CA GOVERNOR DEBATE

California gubernatorial hopefuls Xavier Becerra, left, and Steve Hilton participate in a candidate debate in San Francisco.(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo, File)

“The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly,” Becerra said.“We will not be bought.We will not be bullied.And we are never backing down.November, here we come.”

Becerra’s campaign also said the result makes him the first Latino candidate to advance from a California gubernatorial primary to a general election, calling it a historic milestone for the state.

If elected in November, Becerra would become California’s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who briefly served as governor in 1875.

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Becerra, a former California attorney general, served as Health and Human Services secretary during the Biden administration beforelaunching his gubernatorial campaign.

Hilton, aResults from Tuesday’s primary have not yet been certified.

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