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2026 Gubernatorial Candidates Address the Issues

Hilton, Becerra on insurance, plan for aging

Julie Rasicot,

AARP

Published September 01, 2026

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The Nov. 3 ballot for governor will include Xavier Becerra (D) and Steve Hilton (R). Becerra is a former congressman, state attorney general and secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Hilton is an entrepreneur and former Fox News host who moved to California in 2012 after serving as a senior adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron.

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Both candidates were interviewed during the summer. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

California’s Master Plan for Aging, which AARP helped write, is in its sixth year and seeks to coordinate services for an aging population. What will you do to continue implementing and improving on this plan?

HILTON: I don’t think that a master plan is the way to go at all. It’s an example of what’s gone wrong. We have more and more bureaucratic schemes to try and rectify the fundamental problem, which is that California has become incredibly expensive and difficult to live in, especially for the people we need to look after the most, which is our elderly population. And so, while these sorts of bureaucratic schemes have been pushed forward, the actual quality of life for people in California has gotten worse. It’s just an example of why we need a completely different direction in policy in our state to reduce costs for people.

BECERRA: We will continue to try to provide age-friendly communities, so that as you get older, you know that your neighborhoods will be ready to serve you as you become more limited or become less accessible to some of the things that will keep you healthy and safe. We will continue to try to coordinate housing and support services and will continue to work on fortifying our long-term care systems … whether it’s home care or community-based care.

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The availability and affordability of homeowners insurance is a major challenge, particularly in high-risk areas. How would you address market instability, ensure accountability in disaster response, and improve support for people recovering from disasters such as wildfires?

BECERRA: We have to make sure we stabilize rates. The best way to do that is to recognize that climate change is real. Wildfires are not just part of a season. Today, wildfires are occurring year-round. We have to be able to appropriately manage the risk. And so, one, we make sure we don’t let the insurance industry game California families. Two, make sure we allow the insurers to properly assess risk, and then we charge based on the correct assessment of that risk. Three, we make sure we promote and support the hardening of properties so that we are protecting against the risk of fire.... We have to make sure we’re building in places that are less fire prone, if possible.

HILTON: The market instability is entirely driven by government policy: the artificial capping of rates for over a decade now, which has driven business out of the state.... In terms of wildfire response, we need to be much better on prevention, both in terms of defensible space around properties, but also managing the fuel load in the Sierras or in the lower mountain ranges, the coastal ranges, and just have a common-sense approach to that rather than one that’s completely eclipsed by ideology.

California consumers reported losing billions to fraud in 2025 from a range of imposter, romance, tech support, and other scams. What would you do to combat fraud in the state and help Californians protect their savings and financial independence?

HILTON: The biggest fraud by volume in the state is fraud that’s carried out through the government itself, in terms of the billions of dollars that taxpayers are paying for services that are actually being lost in fraud because we’re not vigilant enough in terms of taxpayer money. So that’s something that we need to really crack down on—and I will, to make sure that taxpayer money is being spent efficiently and effectively and going to the places that it’s intended. In terms of consumer protection, I think that that’s an area where we’ve got to make sure that we have really thoughtful regulation that doesn’t have unintended consequences of raising costs for people or actually adding to bureaucracy without adding to benefit. I think there’s way too much consumer protection regulation that doesn’t end up protecting consumers but just makes everything incredibly annoying for consumers and raises the price and the cost of providing goods and services.

BECERRA: So, when I was attorney general of California, I elevated the issue of Medi-Cal fraud and elder abuse, and I made sure that we had a division within the California Department of Justice which dealt with this issue specifically. We launched what I called Operation SAFE. We were able to move forward on elder abuse cases, including taking on criminally some of those folks who engaged in elder abuse, and we were able to secure convictions on manslaughter grounds in some cases, with some individuals. We were able to get million-dollar settlements against other entities and facilities.... This is one area where, as governor, I may not be wearing the attorney general hat, but I will not leave my experience as AG and as a prosecutor as governor. I will make sure I’m working side by side with our AG and our DAs throughout the state to ensure that we’re going after elder abuse and fraud.

HILTON: The No. 1 thing is to make life—in my word—Califordable. That’s the centerpiece of my plan … $3 gas, cut your electric bill in half, your first 150 grand tax free, a home you can afford to buy, then specific things like vehicle registration, capping fees at the basic rate of $71 per vehicle per year…. Then I really want to make sure we focus on safety and quality of life. We’ve had an attitude on crime that’s … put the fringe ideology of criminal justice reform ahead of actually keeping people and communities safe. That’s going to change when I’m governor.

BECERRA: I would fight back against the Trump cuts to the Medi-Cal program [and] the Trump cuts to the Affordable Care Act. I would move aggressively to build on the work I did as [HHS secretary] to negotiate lower drug prices for people.... I would make sure that we would do all we can to ensure that telehealth is made available to all Californians, but certainly those in rural parts of our state, and that providers—doctors and clinics and hospitals that provide telehealth services and access—are fully reimbursed for that care so that they can afford to provide telehealth services.

Learn more at xavierbecerra2026.com and stevehiltonforgovernor.com.

As a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, AARP does not endorse candidates or make political donations.

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Julie Rasicot is a Montgomery County, Maryland–based writer and editor who regularly contributes stories on advocacy, community livability, long-term care and other issues affecting people as they age.

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