A campaign advert by California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has infuriated fellow Republicans, who have taken offence at its overtly lesbian imagery. The ad, posted on October 1st, shows two attractive women sitting on a bed together beneath a pride flag.
As the ad proceeds, it appears one of the women is trying to convince the other to put out. She says, “Don’t be nervous, it’s not that bad.” The other replies, “What if my dad finds out?” Then it progresses to one promising she’ll “do all the work”, before lowering her hand as the other gasps and bites her lower lip.
Then comes the punchline. They’re not actually engaged in anything sexual, but merely voting for Steve Hilton for Governor of California. Given that there are many LGBTQI+ voters in California, it’s perhaps not a bad idea trying to appeal to them, though the ad has been slammed by several Hilton’s fellow Republicans.
Was this really a good idea?
As per SFGate, Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills accused Hilton of promoting “lesbianism,” which he claims is turning into a “pandemic” amongst high school and college girls. Pastor Hibbs went on to dismiss the ad as “grotesque” and “insensitive.”
Sonja Shaw, the Republican candidate for state superintendent of schools, posted a nauseous emoji and said: “Shame on you, @SteveHiltonx, @CAGOP and @CorrinRankin, for reposting and cheering this creepy, weird, disturbing garbage on. This is a clear example of exactly why good people are walking away from the Republican Party. As a mother and someone who has fought to protect the innocence of children, this crosses a line. We have lost our way. Embarrassing.”
That was echoed by Republican candidate for California Attorney General Michael Gates, who criticized Hilton for the “sexualized portrayal of young women” (via LA Times) and said, “I emphatically denounce the use of young women as a political tool. California families deserve better, and as AG, I will fight every day to protect our girls, young women, and parental rights.”
Hilton himself brushed off the criticism, saying (via Calmatters), “Anything that’s strong has a strong reaction. You see that in art, you see that in everything,” and argued that Republicans need to do things differently in California to win.
On that front, it’s not looking great for Hilton. His opponent, Democrat Xavier Becerra, has a convincing polling lead, with a September poll putting Becerra at 60% of voter support and Hilton at just 38%. So, perhaps it’s unsurprising that he’s trying tactics that you wouldn’t generally see from Republicans.
Published: Oct 6, 2026 10:30 am