The Low Polling Democrats!

Summary

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Armstrong & Getty On Demand — "The Low Polling Democrats!"

Episode Overview (March 26, 2026)

This episode delves into the latest California gubernatorial election drama, focusing on a fractured Democratic field, polling upsets, and controversy surrounding a canceled primary debate. Hosts Armstrong & Getty welcome candidate Steve Hilton for an in-depth interview. The discussion covers the implications of California’s “top two” primary system, Democratic infighting, the state of governance in California, and why Republicans feel momentum is shifting in their favor. The tone is sharp, irreverent, and clearly critical of California’s Democratic leadership.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fractured Democratic Field & California's Primary System

• Too Many Democrats, Vote Splitting: The hosts highlight that numerous Democratic candidates (notably Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell) are splitting the vote, potentially allowing two Republicans to emerge as the general election contenders due to California’s “top two” primary system.
• Polling Update: Recent polls show Steve Hilton (Republican) leading, Erik Swalwell (Democrat) in second, and another Republican close behind. This scenario is used to illustrate Democratic disarray.

"A new poll came out yesterday that with all the Democratic votes split, two Republicans are in the lead... So you might have two Republicans running against each other for governor."
— Co-host (03:39)

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2. The Cancelled USC Debate & Accusations of Racism/Intimidation (03:39–07:55)

• Debate Canceled Amid Political Pressure: The episode breaks down how a scheduled debate was canceled after state Democratic leaders pressured USC to allow lower-polling (mostly minority) Democratic candidates onto the stage.
• Steve Hilton’s View on ‘LPDs’ (Low Polling Democrats): Hilton ridicules the claim that the debate exclusion was racially motivated and coins “LPDs” for these candidates, stating they simply aren’t polling well enough to qualify.

“It’s not because of your race. It’s because you’re not doing well enough in the race. That’s why you weren’t on the debate.”
— Steve Hilton (06:23)

• Allegations of Intimidation:
  Hilton alleges that state legislative leaders bullied USC with threats to include certain candidates, ultimately resulting in the debate’s cancellation. He claims this reflects a deep-seated “arrogance and corruption” of California's Democratic one-party rule.

"That is bullying and intimidation from the state legislature to USC... It actually shows you the arrogance and corruption you get after 16 years of one party rule."
— Steve Hilton (07:21)

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3. Republican Momentum & Changing Voter Sentiment (07:55–10:45)

• Historical Comparison to Schwarzenegger: The hosts sense a shift reminiscent of when Arnold Schwarzenegger ran and upset expectations. Hilton expresses confidence, citing growing, bipartisan attendance at his town halls and increased fundraising.

"It’s a unique time when even the Democratic voters of the state are so fed up with the way things are."
— Co-host (07:59)

• Bipartisan Appeal: Hilton mentions Democratic attendees at his events, including some who voted for Kamala Harris but now want change.

• Turnout & Ballot Initiatives:
  Hilton pins hopes on high Republican turnout, fueled by ballot measures on voter ID and property tax protections, as well as growing anger over Democratic "fraud and corruption."

"We’ve got some really important weapons for turnout... voter ID... and save Prop 13... All these endless tax increases they're bringing in so Republicans will go out and vote for that more than Democrats."
— Steve Hilton (09:14)

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4. Scandals and Statewide Frustration (10:45–12:19)

• Media Attention on Scandal:
  Even mainstream outlets, like CBS, are covering California’s fraud scandals, including a major hospice fraud story.
• Single-Party Rule Critique:
  The hosts and Hilton deride the Democratic primary as dependent on union allegiance, contrasting it with the Republican focus on policy.

"The Republican primary is running for who's got the best ideas. The Democratic primary is who can be the most slavish servant of the public employee unions."
— Interviewer (15:41)

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5. Outlook for November & the Swalwell Factor (12:19–15:34)

• Likely Opponent:
  Hilton predicts that Erik Swalwell will be his opponent, citing establishment support and the Democrats’ inability to field more popular candidates.
• Case for Balance:
  He argues for an end to 16 years of one-party rule, appealing even to non-Republicans on grounds of basic political balance.

"I just feel really confident that if we get a shot at putting that clear choice out there... It’s not healthy to have 16 years of one party rule. Just a bit of balance in the system is a good idea."
— Steve Hilton (14:37)

• California’s Rankings:
  Hilton rattles off negative national rankings for California, such as highest taxes, worst roads, and lowest affordability, saying this is the reality that needs to change.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On LPDs:

  "LPDs, we gotta make that a thing.”
  — Steve Hilton (06:22)

• On Debate Exclusion:

  "No, it’s not because of your race. It’s because you’re not doing well enough in the race."
  — Steve Hilton (06:24)

• On Republican Surge:

  "We do these town halls up and down the state and the numbers are growing... And you’re getting people who ask questions. It’s totally open."
  — Steve Hilton (08:32)

• On Democratic Field:

  "I mean, come on, like you were just talking about Porter, Swalwell, Tom Steyer, these people are such a joke."
  — Steve Hilton (09:40)

• On Voter Sentiment:

  "What’ll it take—a junkie to move into your house and like urinate on your carpet? ... Wrong track was 52."
  — Interviewer (11:53)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:22 — Switch from commercials to show content; setup of primary drama
• 03:39–07:55 — Explaining the canceled debate and “LPDs”
• 07:55–10:45 — Hilton’s campaign momentum, bipartisan outreach, and ballot strategies
• 10:45–12:19 — Scandals, polling data, and the media’s role
• 12:19–15:34 — Outlook for general election, likely matchup with Swalwell, and critique of state leadership
• 15:34–16:08 — Sign-off and closing critiques of California’s political climate

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Takeaways

• California’s Democratic party is highly fractured, creating space for Republican candidates under the “top two” system.
• Political infighting and accusations of unfairness (particularly regarding debate access) are playing out very publicly.
• Steve Hilton presents himself as a bipartisan reformer, harnessing frustration with one-party rule and California’s governance failures.
• There is growing media and institutional scrutiny over waste and corruption, energizing the Republican base.
• The tone remains skeptical and mocking of Democratic leadership throughout.

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For listeners seeking a sharp and irreverent overview of California’s latest political chaos, this episode captures the charged mood and shifting dynamics heading into the state’s pivotal gubernatorial race.

Transcript

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[Steve Hilton]

Get out of my shot.

[Podcast Host]

I wanted to tell you that that's actually incorrect. It's not that it's electric vehicles. It's that if we don't meet the commitments under the Paris climate war.

[Steve Hilton]

Okay, it does. Okay. You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

As she's a peach. She's a leading Democrat, Jack. So that's Katie Porter, and there's too many leading Democrats. There's Katie. Get out of my effing shot. Porter, who's running for governor as a Democrat. There's Eric, I sleep with Chinese spies, Swalwell and other Democrats. And there's so many Democrats that they're splitting the vote. And a new poll came out yesterday that with all the Democratic votes split, two Republicans are in the lead. And the way we do primaries in California is the top two vote getters in the primary run against each other. So you might have two Republicans running against each other for governor and the top guy, Steve Hilton, we're about to talk to in a couple minutes. The other interesting thing that happened yesterday was there was a debate scheduled, but usc, known for their racism, wouldn't allow any people of color on the stage. Well, they had a, a threshold of polling that you had to meet to get on the stage so you don't end up with, you know, 30 people debating and it gets all watered down and you don't learn anything from candidates that actually have a chance to win. But Javier, for Becerra for instance, former attorney general complained that he was left out because USC is racist, as you would expect. That's hilarious.

[Interviewer]

You cannot make this stuff up. From advisor to British prime ministers to Fox News host, patriotic American Steve Hilton joins us. He's running for governor of Cal Unicornia. Steve, how you feeling?

[Steve Hilton]

I'm feeling good, but frustrated. I should be talking to you this morning on the back of another debate triumph because most of the debates I've done, I'd say all of them, I've won hands down. That's not just me talking. The first TV debate they did a statewide poll. It was me against six Democrats. I won by 66%. The nearest Democrat got 17%, most of them in single digits. Why? Because it's so obvious we need change in this state and we can't go on like this. And I think they're panicking because you've got me leading these polls. There's another one that came out yesterday. I was on 20%, Swalwell on 15, the other Republican on 14. So look, whichever poll you look at right now, we've got momentum and we're leading and that's what they can't stand. And so, you know, they cancelled the debate. And of course, on the one hand you can look at the cancellation of the debate. Yet another example of, you know, they can't do anything right, these Democrats, they can't even organize a debate. They can't build a high feed rail line with hundreds of billions of dollars. Even the butterfly bridge to nowhere or the people mover in LAX or solve homelessness or do anything totally clueless and incompetent, can't even do a debate. That's the kind of light hearted, funny way of talking about it. But actually there's a serious point. It's not even the political correctness where you have these ridiculous LPD's as I call them, the low polling Democrats whining about being LPDs.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I like it.

[Steve Hilton]

LPD's, we gotta make that a thing. So the LPD's all chomping up and down. Oh, it's race you race rac. No, it's not because of your race. It's because you're not doing well enough in the race. That's why you weren't on the debate. But the real point I want to make is do you know what actually happened that caused this debate to be canceled? The legislature, the leaders of the Democrats in the state legislature wrote a letter to USC on headed paper with all their ridiculous little pressure groups and factions. The LGBT caucus And the Native American Caucus and the Women's caucus and the Latino and all the usual suspects, right? But the letter was signed by Robert Rivas, who is the leader of the state assembly, and Monique Limon, who's the Democrat leader in the state Senate, telling USC they'd better put these LPDs in the debate or there'll be trouble. Now that is bullying and intimidation from the state legislature to usc. That's why the debate was canceled. They wrote that letter on Monday. USC panicked. They said, well, now we've not just the candidates whining, we got the state legislature on our back. That's a whole different thing. So then they go to abc, who are the media partner going to broadcast the debate and say, okay, we want to get these people back in. ABC said, no, get lost. And then they canceled the debate. But it actually shows you the arrogance and corruption that you get after 16 years of one party rule. It was the legislature that canceled this debate. It is totally outrageous.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

You know, I don't know why, but for the first time I'm getting the you could win feeling. It reminds me because we were doing this job back when Arnold first started running and we had him on the show several times and I remember when he was, you know, doing his rap on our radio show and just thinking, you know, there's something here, there's some momentum here. It's a, it's a unique time when even the Democratic voters of the state are so fed up with the way things are. And I'm feeling, I'm feeling your vibe here, man.

[Steve Hilton]

Yeah, I love that. Me too, honestly. And I'm not just, you know, I'm the opposite of complacent. I'm working harder every week. But we do these town halls up and down the state and the numbers are growing. You know, used to be, you know, 40, 50 people would come. Now with now, then it was 100, now we're getting 200, sometimes 300 people coming along. This is open to everyone. They're not, it's not Republican events. This is just show up in a place, put the word out on social media and people come along and you're getting people who ask questions. It's totally open. It's not me making some boring speech is like, come and ask what's on your mind. And a lot of the time, yes, it's true. I don't want to be, you know, I want to be accurate. I would say most of the people are Republicans, but there's a lot of Democrats coming, you know, just last, you know the last one we did, I voted for Kamala Harris. I think we need a change. What are you going to do about whatever it is? So there's something happening there. The fundraising is going really well. And then the other thing I just want to point out is a couple of things we got going for us this year that make me really confident we could do it. Number one in the midterm election, it's all about turnout. Getting the party that does the best job, getting its voters out does best. We've got some really important weapons for turnout this year, which is on the ballot in November. We're going to have voter ID, which Republicans particularly are enthusiastic about, and save Prop 13 to keep tax to restore the protections of Prop 13. All these endless tax increases they're bringing in so Republicans will go out and vote for that more than Democrats. The second big thing, these utterly useless Democrat candidates. I mean, come on, like you were just talking about Porter Swolwe, Tom Steyer, these people are such a joke. And then the other factor that's new this year, different to previous races, is just the growing volume, both from here within our state and nationally, pointing out and revealing the extent of the fraud and the corruption and the abuse of our money. You've got Nick Shirley here doing it. You've got James o'. Keefe. I sat down with James o' Keefe in LA last weekend. He look at the stuff he's been putting out on the paying for signatures and voter registration. You've got the Manhattan Institute, Chris Ruffo just set up a new bureau here to investigate corruption in California. You got the feds, J.D. vance, the fraud hunting. You've got Bill Asales, my friend Bill Asali, who's the U.S. attorney doing incredible job prosecuting fraud. So there's volume on California and it's just going to get louder and louder because everyone is sick of Dr. Oz coming in and CBS News, the hospice fraud. Every week there's more and more exposure of exactly how badly they've mismanaged this state. And I think people are furious about it and they're going to kick this party out in November.

[Interviewer]

I was pleasantly surprised to see even CBS News was on the ridiculous hospice fraud story, which shows at least a growing awareness and enthusiasm is the wrong word. But the indignation about all of the fraud and waste abuse that you get with one party government, which is a perfect lead into what was gonna be my next question. I'm looking at the same poll that had you dominating Mr. Fang Fang and the sweet cupcake that is Katie Porter and lunatic leftist tech guy Tom Steue. Steyer. But it had right direction. Wrong direction. Right track. Wrong track. Right track was still 33% of people. What'll it take a junkie to move into your house and like urinate on your carpet? You 33%. But wrong track was 52. I think your main tasks and tell me if I'm wrong is going to wake people out of their sleepy apathy and help them understand there is a better state that could be

[Steve Hilton]

100%. And here's how I see this going. Obviously I'm planning to be in the top two. My expectation is that it will be another Democrat. And I think really it looks like it's going to be Swalwell really freaking out. I know. Well, I mean, like I always say, like, well, look at the, look at the candidates. Like the president would say they're not sending their best. Look at these people. Or maybe they are their best. Who knows how bad it's got? But look at them. I mean, I don't know which is the worst, but it just feels like Swalwell, it feels as if the machine is moving behind him. Right. He got that big endorsement from the seiu. You got little signs like Adam Schiff, who's very close to Pelosi, endorsing him and a couple of other members of Congress. So I think that they want a puppet that they control. And obviously Tom Stiers are billionaire's own money, so they can't control him. There are reports that, longstanding reports that they can't stand Pelosi, can't stand Katie Porter and so they don't want her. And so who else have they got? I mean, they tried all these other people. They tried to get Padilla to run. They tried. They were, they think maybe Kamala Harris would run. None of these people wanted to do it for various reasons. So they're stuck with Swalwell. I think that's where this is heading.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

I feel like Swalwell's got serious Gray Davis vibes is such a joke.

[Steve Hilton]

He's not a serious person. I mean, that's the fundamental point. Anyway. My point was going to be once we're in a situation post June where it's just a very clear choice, this or that. Right. Do you want more of the same? Another four years or eight years of this one party rule or change? I think that will really focus Right now you've got all these candidates and it's all a bit of a muddle and people aren't really paying attention. But I think that once the primary is out of the way, it's a whole different world. And then I think that's when it really, we can really turn up the volume on. Come on. I mean, is there anyone that really believes what this state needs is another four years of Democrat one party rule? I find an argument that works even with Democrats and independents who are never going to call themselves Republican. But I would say, look, come on, it's not healthy to have 16 years of one party rule. Just a bit of balance in the system is a good idea. The Democrats are still probably control the state legislature. They'll still probably run all the big cities and the counties. Having a bit of balance in the mix is a good idea and you get people nodding along to that. So I just feel really confident that if we get a shot at putting that clear choice out there. That's why I actually go back to that first TV debate because it really was clear it was me against six other Democrats. I didn't do anything amazing. I just told the truth about how bad everything is. You know, we've had, we've got the highest taxes in the country for the worst results, highest poverty rate, highest unemployment rate, highest cost of living, 50th out of 50 according to US News and World Report for opportunity, 50th out 50 Wallet Hub says for affordability. Chief Executive Magazine California ranked 50th out of 50 for business climate. I mean, you know, we've had the highest gas tax in the country, 50th out of 50 for the quality of our roads. I mean it's insane how bad it is.

[Interviewer]

It is insane. Steve Hilton. Steve, we're up against a break. Sorry to, sorry to interrupt but keep fighting the good fight. We will stay in touch. Steve Hilton, Always great to talk and I mean this sincerely. And if anybody can contradict it, feel free. The Republican primary is running for who's got the best ideas. The Democratic primary is who can be the most slavish servant of the public employee unions. That's the question. Armstrong and Getty.

[Podcast Host]

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