California Gubernatorial Candidate Hilton Challenges Support for Trans Athletes

Steve Hilton, the leading Republican candidate in the California gubernatorial race, addressed the issue of transgender athletes in girls’ sports on Friday. With state primaries imminent, Hilton criticized Democratic opponents, emphasizing the support they have shown for trans athletes. This discussion gains prominence as AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School competes for a state championship for the second consecutive year.

Earlier that day, Democrat Tom Steyer expressed support for Hernandez via a video message, expressing pride and hope for Hernandez’s success in the championship. A “Save Girls’ Sports” meeting took place outside the 2026 CIF State Track & Field Championships in Clovis, California, aiming to voice opposition to Democrats’ stance on the matter.

“Tom Steyer has taken a wildly extreme position on this issue that is totally out of touch with most California families and young people,” Hilton stated in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Steyer and fellow Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra have shown varied levels of support for trans athletes. Becerra, although supportive, has remained quieter than Steyer in recent weeks. Hilton criticized Becerra, labeling him a career politician tied to a corrupt political machine.

Hilton proposed strategies to address the trans athlete situation if elected. He plans to overturn the 2013 AB 1266 law, which he claims violates the California state constitution.

“The first thing we have to do is overturn the law that set all this in motion,” Hilton stated. “I will immediately suspend the law while we begin legal proceedings to overturn it.”

California has been central to the national debate on transgender athletes in girls’ sports. AB Hernandez’s winning of state titles last year amplified the issue. The athlete faced controversy again during a girls’ volleyball team event in the fall, leading to a Title IX lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District.

The CIF has introduced a policy that awards female athletes finishing behind Hernandez a higher placement, sharing podium spots with them. This change, criticized from different perspectives, will continue for the state finals.

“I absolutely respect the right of people to live their lives the way they want,” Hilton remarked, addressing the trans community. “People’s rights must be protected, but they can’t be safeguarded at the cost of the vast majority.”

During a rally in Clovis, Hilton was joined by former NCAA soccer player Sophia Lorey, state superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw, and Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown. Data from the Public Policy Institute of California indicates a majority of Californians, including public school parents, favor requiring transgender athletes to compete in line with their birth-assigned sex.

Jackson Thompson, a sports reporter with Fox News Digital, covers significant political and cultural issues in sports. His investigative work has been recognized by major media outlets and cited in federal government actions regarding Title IX.