Public transcript

Steve Hilton & Spencer Pratt: Fixing California, Cheaper Gas, Ballot Fraud & CA Republicans

By: All-In Podcast
Length: 56 min
Language: English
Text from: the video's captions
Transcribed: 2 October 2026

Read the full transcript Open on YouTube

Notes in English.

Summary

This episode features Steve Hilton, Republican candidate for California governor, discussing the state's decline under 16 years of one-party Democratic rule, his policy platform (tax cuts, cheaper gas, deregulation), and his path to victory against Javier Becerra. Later, Spencer Pratt joins to discuss his failed LA mayoral run, his claims about ballot harvesting and the election process, the Pacific Palisades fire that destroyed his home, and his lawsuit against the state. Both argue California is at a now-or-never moment and urge people to vote.

Key points

Steve Hilton argues California has the highest poverty rate, unemployment, and cost of living in the country after 16 years of one-party Democratic control.
Hilton pledges to cut regulations from over 420,000 to under 200,000, abolish the DMV's bloated fees with a flat $73 vehicle registration, and make the first $150,000 of income free of state income tax.
Hilton says the gap with Becerra has narrowed from 30 points on primary night to 8 points in the latest poll, with a key debate scheduled for September 30.
Hilton cites Democrats like Susan Rice describing Becerra as 'an idiot' and argues Becerra would be a puppet of the unions and trial lawyers.
Spencer Pratt claims he lost the LA mayor's race because 200,000 registered Republicans didn't vote, and describes how ballot harvesting works legally in California.
Pratt describes a mass tort lawsuit with 10,000 victims over the Palisades fire, alleging state parks let a New Year's Eve fire smolder and LADWP left reservoirs empty.
Pratt argues a fire break around the Palisades would have cost under $500,000 and saved billions.
Both guests frame the election as 'the people versus the machine' and say change is possible if people show up and vote.
Hilton announces a plan for 10 new cities in California and says the state has everything it needs 'except a good governor.'
Pratt says he's more of a threat now and plans to run again in four years.

Questions it answers

00:00Why California Matters

Why does Steve Hilton say California is so important?

Hilton, an immigrant who moved to the state in 2012, says California means to America what America means to the world, leading in entertainment, tech, and agriculture. He argues the state's innovation, energy, and ambition represent the essence of America.

California is the biggest and richest state.
Hilton has visited all 58 counties during his campaign.
He frames the election as now-or-never for the state.

01:52State of the State

What is the state of California according to Hilton?

Despite natural advantages, Hilton says California has the highest poverty rate, unemployment, and cost of living in the country after 16 years of one-party rule, with millions of people leaving. He blames a corrupt donor system of unions and trial lawyers.

Median house price is nearly $1 million; median salary $65,000.
90% chance of litigation if you run a business in California.
1,118 bills passed last year alone.

06:54Path to Victory

Can Hilton actually win in California?

Hilton says the gap with Becerra has narrowed from 30 points on primary night to 8 points in the latest poll. His internal polling shows 26% of voters are up for grabs, mostly working people focused on cost of living, and he hears from lifelong Democrats saying they'll vote for him.

One debate scheduled for September 30 versus Becerra.
Business leaders tell him if he doesn't win, they're leaving.
He calls it a now-or-never election.

09:09Policy Platform

What is Hilton promising to do as governor?

He pledges to cut regulations from over 420,000 to under 200,000, cancel high-speed rail, cut government headcount 10%, make the first $150,000 of income state-tax-free, remove hidden gas taxes to bring $6 gas toward $3, and cap vehicle registration at $73 by abolishing the DMV.

Cap and invest and low carbon fuel standard add about $1.50 to gas prices.
He announced a plan for 10 new cities.
He says Becerra would be worse than Newsom, citing Susan Rice calling Becerra 'an idiot'.

20:59Spencer Pratt on the Machine

How does Spencer Pratt describe California politics?

Pratt calls the political establishment a 'corrupt criminal mafia cartel' that launders tax money. He says his mayoral campaign succeeded through telling the truth, which created a grassroots movement, and that most people who voted for him were Democrats.

He blames Mayor Bass and LADWP for the fire that destroyed his town.
He says 200,000 registered Republicans didn't vote in LA.
He argues 'too big to rig' — voting can beat margins of cheating.

25:02Ballot Harvesting Claims

What does Pratt claim happened in his election?

Pratt says he was leading on election night, then the third-place candidate overtook him through mail-in ballots. He describes California's legal ballot harvesting system, where witnesses can sign with a smiley face, ballots are separated from envelopes before counting making audits impossible, and DSA operatives repeatedly visit homes to collect ballots.

He admits he has no evidence of fraud and wouldn't say he lost because of it.
He says the practices are legal under California law.
He calls for voter ID.

29:02Palisades Fire and Lawsuit

What is Spencer Pratt's lawsuit about?

Pratt is part of a mass tort with 10,000 victims against state parks, the city, and LADWP over the Palisades fire. He alleges a New Year's Eve fire was left smoldering into a known wind event, reservoirs were left empty, and a fire break would have cost under $500,000.

The reservoirs are still empty.
LADWP was fined $1 million for cutting protected dead brush.
He can't rebuild until the lawsuit is resolved.

51:40What's Next

What are Spencer Pratt's future plans?

Pratt says he's now more of a threat with two years to prepare, plans to run again in four years, is making content and meeting people in New York, and floated turning Skid Row into data centers. He declined reality TV, saying everyone is image-crafting now.

He plans to 'torture' Karen Bass for the next two years.
He warns about the DSA and Nitia Ramen.
He says the truth doesn't have a side.

Notes

California's Decline

Steve Hilton, a British immigrant and Republican candidate for California governor, argues the state has suffered 16 years of one-party Democratic rule.
He cites the highest poverty rate, highest unemployment, and highest cost of living in the country, with a median house price near $1 million against a median individual salary of $65,000.
Chief Executive Magazine has ranked California 50th out of 50 for business climate for over a decade.
The Sacramento legislature passed 1,118 bills last year; Hilton printed them out and the stack was twice his height.

Hilton's Policy Platform

Cut regulations from over 420,000 to under 200,000 by the end of his first term.
Cancel high-speed rail, a 10% government headcount reduction, and stop funding nonprofits he says worsen homelessness.
Make the first $150,000 of income free of state income tax.
Remove hidden gas taxes (low carbon fuel standard, cap and invest) to move from $6 gas toward $3 gas.
Cap vehicle registration at a flat $73 per year by abolishing the DMV.
Announced a plan for 10 new cities in California.

Path to Victory

The gap with Becerra narrowed from 30 points on primary night to 8 points in the latest poll.
Hilton's internal poll showed 33% solidly with him, 41% with Becerra, and 26% up for grabs, mostly non-college-educated working people focused on cost of living.
One debate is scheduled for September 30.

Spencer Pratt on His LA Mayoral Race

Pratt claims he would have won if 200,000 registered Republicans in LA had voted.
He describes how the third-place candidate overtook him through mail-in ballots and ballot harvesting, which he says is legal in California.
He argues ballots are separated from envelopes upon arrival for counting, making audits impossible.

The Palisades Fire

Pratt's home, his parents' home, and his neighbors' homes burned.
He says a fire break would have cost under $500,000, and the reservoirs remain empty.
He is part of a mass tort lawsuit with 10,000 victims against state parks, the city, and LADWP.
He alleges a New Year's Eve fire was left smoldering into a known wind event.

Text from the video's own captions. Summary and notes written by AI from the transcript, so check anything important against the recording.