California counties where Steve Hilton led in the governor's race

Democrat Xavier Becerra won the California governor’s race Tuesday, defeating Republican Steve Hilton, who is leading in 23 of the state’s 58 counties in preliminary returns as of Thursday morning. Becerra holds over 5.2 million votes, or 64.4%, to Hilton’s over 2.9 million votes, or 35.6%. Becerra, a former congressman, attorney general, and U.S. health secretary, will become California’s first Latino governor since 1875, succeeding term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. Hilton, a former U.K. adviser with no elected office experience, found his strongest proportional support in rural Northern California counties like Lassen and Modoc. He conceded Tuesday night, predicting a Republican governor by 2030.