Steve Hilton

Republican · CA Governor SUPPORTS DATA CENTERS

Outside AI PAC Money: $39.2K

Position on Hyperscale Data Centers

Opposes state moratoriums and CEQA environmental roadblocks, arguing that “California's regulatory environment is strangling the compute infrastructure needed to maintain our competitive edge” against Texas and Nevada (Cal-Access).
Advocates for expanding nuclear power and deregulating construction, proposing that instead of bans, developers should use “creative ways of making them architecturally more appealing, creating parks and public amenities around them” (YouTube).
Splits from pure tech-libertarianism by proposing an immediate pause on generative AI in K-12 classrooms and declaring during the CNN debate that “we lead this industry and I believe we should also lead its regulation” (El País).
Backed by maximum direct executive donations from Google co-founder Sergey Brin ($39,200) and defense-tech billionaire Palmer Luckey (Hilton Policy Platform); hit with an FPPC campaign ethics complaint over undisclosed influencer payments (Sacramento Bee). Disclosures show no personal data-center stock holdings.

"Instead, creative ways of making them architecturally more appealing, creating parks and public amenities around them."

Date: 2026-09-18

→ Source: YouTube Interview

"We lead this industry and I believe we should also lead its regulation."

Date: 2026-09-30

"California's regulatory environment is strangling the compute infrastructure needed to maintain our competitive edge."

Date: 2026-07-20