The Aporia · Steve Hilton drops shocking new ad teasing lesbian encounter: ‘What if my dad finds out?’

Steve Hilton drops shocking new ad teasing lesbian encounter: ‘What if my dad finds out?’

Read the original at New York Post ↗

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APA MLA Chicago

Wu, T. (2026, October 2). Steve Hilton drops shocking new ad teasing lesbian encounter: ‘What if my dad finds out?’. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/02/us-news/steve-hilton-drops-new-campaign-ad-teasing-lesbian-encounter/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for governor of California, released a provocative political ad aimed at younger voters on Thursday. The ad features two AI-generated women in a suggestive conversation under a Pride flag, ending with them considering voting for Hilton. This is part of a six-figure campaign designed to appeal to Gen Z and millennials who feel the need for change in California’s governance. While some praised it as innovative, others questioned its effectiveness given that it might alienate his base while not necessarily appealing to Democrats or independents.

Written by AI on 2026-10-02, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate running for governor in California, released an advertisement titled "Just Try It, California" on October 26, which features two AI-generated young women in a suggestive exchange implying sexual activity, leading to one urging the other to vote for him. The ad has drawn significant criticism from fellow Republicans and Democrats alike. Michael Gates, another Republican candidate running for attorney general, condemned the ad, stating that it uses young women as political tools and denounces the content as inappropriate. Despite the controversy, Hilton argues the advertisement aims to reach younger voters in California who are open to change regardless of party affiliation. The ad has garnered millions of views online but has faced backlash from various quarters, with some calling it "creepy" and "disturbing." As a result, Hilton is facing criticism from both his own party and Democrats as he trails Xavier Becerra, the frontrunner in the polls for the Democratic nomination.

Written for “Hilton Campaign Ad Controversy” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

16%

4 of 25 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

Leans right

of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Politics

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Titus Wu

80 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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Also by Titus Wu

Xavier Becerra roasted for bizarre deflection on California housing debate: ‘Maybe in my backyard?’

2026-10-31 · New York Post

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2026-10-30 · New York Post

Ex-Google engineer quits saving for retirement over chilling AI apocalypse prediction

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2026-10-29 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 80 articles by Titus Wu →

Narrative

Claims (25 extracted, 4 hedged)

California GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton dropped a shocking ad teasing a lesbian encounter Thursday, a day after his debate with rival Democrat Xavier Becerra. asserted

Hilton → drop → Becerra

Hilton launched “Just Try It, California,” the first spot in a six-figure television and digital ad campaign aimed at Gen Z and millennial voters, his campaign said in a news release. asserted

campaign → launch → release

The ad shows two AI-generated young women sitting on a bed beneath a Pride flag, one wearing a “RESIST” shirt. asserted

one → show → shirt

Their suggestive exchange implies they are about to engage in a sexual act, with one hesitant and the other reassuring her it will be OK. asserted

it → imply → her

“What if my dad finds out?” asks one of the girls. asserted

one → find → girls

“Just try it,” the other responds. asserted

other → try → it

Close your eyes, and I’ll do all the work.” asserted

I → close → work

The camera then pans down to show the two bubbling-in “Steve Hilton” on a California election ballot. asserted

camera → pan → ballot

“I think I like it,” the girl who was once hesitant says, before the ad closes on the slogan “Just try it.” asserted

ad → think → it

Hilton in the past few months has been hammering in on a need for changing the status quo and making direct attempts to independents and even Democrats to vote for him. asserted

Hilton → hammer → him

The candidate may have no other choice, given California’s predominantly blue electorate. uncertain

candidate → have → electorate

“People do not need permission from a party to want a state they can afford,” Hilton said in a Thursday statement. asserted

Hilton → need → statement

Sixteen years of the same government, and it keeps getting harder to live here. asserted

it → keep → government

Just try something that actually brings costs down.” asserted

that → try → costs

“You do not have to become a Republican to want a different result,” Hilton continued. asserted

Hilton → have → result

“You do not have to like me. asserted

You → have → me

You just have to look at the last 16 years and ask if you are willing to try it.” asserted

you → have → it

The ad has gotten mixed reactions. asserted

ad → get → reactions

OMFG,” reacted former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, whose own campaign had numerous viral ads. asserted

campaign → react → ads

Others were cautious, as it could be perceived the ad is targeting gay and lesbian Democrats. uncertain

ad → perceive → Democrats

“This ad isn’t poorly executed, but no joke this might turn off more Republicans from voting for Hilton because of that flag and it appearing as a pro-LGBT Hilton ad,” one user commented. uncertain

user → execute → ad

“It persuades moderates or left leaning people to vote for him.” asserted

It → persuade → him

Some people said they felt weird watching the ad, while others praised what they saw as a brilliant twist. asserted

they → say → twist

Grabbing attention and provoking discussion may be what Hilton needs. uncertain

Hilton → grab → what

The latest polls have him trailing Becerra by around 18 percentage points. asserted

him → have → points

Steve Hilton drops shocking new ad teasing lesbian encounter: ‘What if my dad finds out?’

Quick Summary

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Claims (25 extracted, 4 hedged)