Provocative, sexually suggestive Hilton campaign ad condemned by right-wing political allies

A provocative and sexually suggestive ad from GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is drawing heat from fellow Republicans while attracting millions of viewers online.

Two young women sit on a bed, with an LGBTQ+ flag in the background, one encouraging the other to try a new experience.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” one woman says, and the other responds. “Don’t be nervous. It’s not that bad… Try it. Listen, give me your hand. Close your eyes and I’ll do all the work.”

She directs the hesitant woman’s hand to mark her ballot for Hilton rather than Democrat Xavier Becerra, the front-runner in the race, and says, “Now lick it,” referring to the mail-in ballot envelope.

Fellow Republicans as well as several Democrats denounced Hilton for the post.

During the Nov. 3 ballot, two members of Hilton’s “Golden Ticket” Republican party lashed out over the content of the ad.

“I categorically denounce the use of young women as a political tool,” Michael Gates, the Republican candidate for attorney general who has frequently appeared alongside Hilton at campaign events, wrote on X. “California families deserve better, and as AG, I will fight every day to protect our daughters, young women, and parental rights.”

Sonja Shaw, who is running to be the state’s next schools superintendent, blasted Hilton, the state Republican Party and its chair for promoting the ad, which had been seen by nearly 5 million people as of Saturday afternoon.

“Shame on you… for reposting and applauding this creepy, bizarre, disturbing bullshit,” Shaw wrote on

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), an openly gay member of Congress, and state Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks also condemned the ad.

“This is a bizarre and desperate ad from someone who attacked the LGBTQ+ community and stands with Donald Trump,” Garcia said. “Hilton is losing and is more interested in AI slop than the issues Californians care about.”

Hilton acknowledged that the ad provoked strong reactions, but she underscored the basis of her campaign: Many Californians may be put off by her party affiliation but want change given the state’s myriad problems, such as growing unaffordability, that have taken place under the Democratic lockout of every state office and state Legislature.

“We just say, you know, try it,” he said in an interview. “It’s a provocative and humorous way to make a point, isn’t it? That’s often what the best communication does.”

He also said the ad does not conflict with his beliefs regarding restrictions on gender-affirming care and youth sports, as these would only apply to people who are not adults.

A spokesman for Becerra, who led Hilton 58 percent to 33 percent in a recent UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll, welcomed the divide the ad was creating among Republicans.

“MAGA is melting over Steve Hilton’s scary ad because they’re finally seeing him as he’s really being sold, willing to abandon his own twisted values ​​to get ahead,” Jonathan Underland said.

However, some conservatives, dismayed by the message, sided with Hilton.

Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, a Christian nationalist, called the ad “grotesque” and said it promoted lesbianism among young women, in a Facebook Live post Saturday. However, he said he still supports Hilton regarding Becerra. He did not respond to requests for comment.

Hilton is scheduled to speak Monday to a chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, an LGBTQ group, at a Palm Desert brewery. The organization did not respond to requests for comment.

Former California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson said that while the ad wasn’t for her, she understood the campaign’s desire to expand its reach to different voters.

“Is the ad talking to me? No. It’s not going after my vote. It already has my vote. It’s trying to think of new and creative ways to make people who normally wouldn’t want to vote for a Republican feel safe to do so,” she said. “He’s stepping out of his comfort zone and reaching out to people who normally wouldn’t feel comfortable voting for him.”

Californian Fred Karger, who made history in 2012 as the first openly gay person to run for president, had mixed opinions about the ad, calling it clever but hypocritical. And he questioned its effectiveness.

“The audience he’s targeting here — the hipster, young hipster, lesbian audience — probably has a 1 percent chance of voting for him,” Karger said. “So it’s a bit of a distant project. But it’s intelligent advertising.”