OCEANSIDE (KGTV) — With eight days to go until the midterms, Republican candidate for California governor Steve Hilton held a rally in Oceanside, delivering his closing message to voters before Election Day.
It was an energized crowd in Oceanside as Hilton spoke for about an hour, even taking time to stop and take pictures with his supporters.
Hilton is promising to lower taxes and gas prices and crack down on crime. He says he'll end mass homelessness in the state by the end of 2027.
Hilton says voting for his opponent, Xavier Becerra, is more of the same.
"Have you had enough of this bloated bureaucratic nanny-state government bossing us around from morning till night," Hilton said.
One of the moments that got the biggest response from the crowd was his commitment to finding a solution to the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
"We will stop the sewage from Mexico one way or another," Hilton said.
Many at the rally have already made up their minds; Hilton is their guy. Couples like Jerry and Terrie St. John from Oceanside already voted early for Hilton.
"I like the fact that he wants to clean up the streets and help the homeless and start to have the state get back to where it should be," Terrie St. John said.
Diana Parkman, from Vista, says she's followed Hilton for years and agrees with everything he stands for.
"We like the idea of him drilling again, bringing gas prices down to three dollars a gallon, to help with the homeless people," Parkman said.
In the crowd were even a few Democrats like Kari Barrera, who says she's had enough with the Democratic Party and is taking a chance on Hilton, hoping for something different.
"We used to be a party united in one cause which was helping the underdog, and I'm not seeing that anymore," Barrera said.
ABC 10News reached out to Xavier Becerra's office and his campaign spokesperson sent us the following statement: "Donald Trump keeps driving up costs, and his lapdog Steve Hilton keeps applauding. Xavier Becerra spent the last decade making health care and prescription drugs more affordable. Becerra is ready to lead California forward."
Before Hilton took the stage, the crowd also heard from other Republicans running for office, including Jim Desmond and candidates for state controller and lieutenant governor.
Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3rd.
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