Los Angeles is burning, and Gavin Newsom is fiddling. As anti-ICE riots scorch the streets and vandals deface every surface they encounter, California GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is bringing some much-needed sanity and backbone to the conversation. Standing outside a graffiti-covered LAPD station in downtown Los Angeles, Hilton minced no words in confronting the utter failure of Newsom’s leadership.
“I’ve been here for days, seeing what’s going on with these riots. One of the most shocking things is the scale of the graffiti,” Hilton told Fox News Digital. “Everywhere you go in downtown LA, every surface is covered in vile, disgusting graffiti. And to me it is a really vivid symbol of the total collapse of law and order, of civilized values, that they just let this happen. All of this could have been prevented.”
On the walls of the L.A. Police Department the ‘mostly peaceful’ protesters scrawled “Kill Trump.”@GloriaJRomero and I got rid of it pic.twitter.com/Q8dU0BvkX1
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) June 12, 2025
Hilton is right on the money. The chaos engulfing LA isn’t simply about spray paint and broken windows—it’s about the utter disregard for law and order that has festered under Newsom’s rule. As rioters openly challenge our brave law enforcement officers and disrupt the lives of law-abiding Californians, Newsom has chosen grandstanding and political posturing over decisive leadership. His priorities are clear—he cares far more about appeasing his radical base and fueling his own presidential ambitions than protecting California’s families and businesses.
Gloria Romero, former Democratic state senate leader and now a proud Republican voice, stood alongside Hilton to echo that sentiment. Romero speaks with the conviction of someone who spent years trying to save her party from itself, only to realize it had already abandoned traditional American values.
“For years and years, I tried to fight for reform within the party,” Romero told Fox. “Finally, like my friends Leo Terrell, Bobby Kennedy, Tulsi Gabbard, I said, the Democrat party left me. It is so woke. It is gone.”
Romero’s words are a stark reminder that many proud Americans are waking up to the disastrous consequences of woke Democratic policies. This isn’t just about graffiti or property damage; it’s about allowing our cities to descend into chaos, emboldening criminals and anarchists, and endangering the lives of innocent citizens. Romero reinforced this point clearly: “Today we are looking at what happens then when those who are unvetted come in… we’re looking at rapists, convicted rapists, sex traffickers, murderers.”
Newsom’s reckless defiance of President Trump’s common-sense approach to immigration enforcement is now costing Californians dearly. As violent mobs occupy Los Angeles streets, desperately needed ICE operations aimed at deporting dangerous criminals are obstructed, and law-abiding immigrants seeking citizenship are left in limbo. The Department of Homeland Security confirms that the riots delayed citizenship processing for hundreds of lawful migrants—exactly the people Newsom claims he wants to help.
Meanwhile, Newsom shamelessly uses this crisis as a stepping stone toward national prominence, openly positioning himself as the anti-Trump champion for the 2028 Democratic primary. During his recent national address, Newsom declared ominously, “California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next.” His words reveal his true agenda—not protecting Californians or preserving order, but weaponizing chaos for political gain.
Californians have had enough. This once-great state, under decades of Democratic rule, is now synonymous with lawlessness, homelessness, and absurdly high taxes. Steve Hilton represents a clear alternative: a leader willing to restore law and order, protect our communities, and bring back the common-sense governance Californians desperately need.
With Newsom termed out, conservatives have a genuine opportunity to reclaim California for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hilton’s bold, unapologetic message resonates with Americans fed up with woke madness and political gamesmanship. It’s time for Californians to reject Newsom’s empty rhetoric and choose real leadership that prioritizes safety, prosperity, and American values above political posturing.