A British-born candidate for California governor drew ridicule online after touting a “street taco” from a ubiquitous fast-food chain.
Steve Hilton, who is running as a Republican, posted a video Saturday after a campaign stop in Barstow, where he highlighted his purchase from Del Taco.
“Why am I holding a Barstow street taco right now?” Hilton asked in the clip, standing beside a freeway in a button-down shirt. “Because I just bought it at this historic location.”
The camera then panned to a sign marking the local Del Taco, which opened in 1964 as the chain’s first-ever restaurant before more than 500 locations popped up across the country. Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, concluded: “There it is. My Barstow street taco. I’m gonna enjoy.”
The video quickly surpassed 700,000 views on X, drawing hundreds of critical comments, with some users deriding Hilton as a “fake Californian” for conflating fast-food fare with authentic local cuisine.
“He calls it a ‘Barstow street taco,’” wrote one user. “Instantly disqualifying!”
Hilton, 56, protested: “It’s what they call it!”
“‘They’ must not be Californians (much like yourself) if ‘they’ think a hard shell Del Taco abomination is an authentic street taco,” the same commenter wrote back. “Stand down, sir, you are not fit for this fight.”
Numerous other users piled on.
“Lol that’s not a ‘street taco’ at all,” wrote one, while another chimed in: “I love Del Taco and the Barstow location but that is in no way, shape, or form a street taco.” Another, apparently picking up on Hilton’s accent, asked: “Is this guy British?”
But what exactly constitutes is a street taco? Rooted in Mexico’s culinary tradition, it’s typically served on small, soft tortillas and filled with high-quality meats from roadside stands or carts — not brick-and-mortar restaurants — according to Mexican eatery La Vaka.
Some commenters, however, appeared enthusiastic about Hilton’s taco-touting promotional video.
“Hands down the Best Del Taco! Hope you visit our Victorville area,” one X user wrote.
Hilton, a British–American political commentator, was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He later served as head of strategy for David Cameron and remained a key figure in Cameron’s circle when he became prime minister of the U.K.in 2010.
After leaving the heart of British politics, Hilton and his family moved to California, where he became a U.S. citizen in 2021. He taught at Stanford University and joined Fox News first as a contributor and later as the host of The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton, which ended in 2017.
In April of this year, Hilton officially launched his campaign for governor of California as a Republican, joining a crowded field of candidates vying to succeed term‑limited Democratic incumbent Gavin Newsom. He was endorsed by President Donald Trump last month.
He has surged in recent polling, especially after former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress amid sexual‑misconduct allegations, bowed out of the race. Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing.
On Wednesday, Hilton was one of seven candidates — five of them Democrats — to participate in a televised debate in Los Angeles.
Under California’s open primary system, all candidates appear on the same ballot on June 2, regardless of party. The top two vote getters will then advance to the general election in November.
If he wins, Hilton would become California’s third foreign‑born governor, following Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria, and John Downey, who was born in Ireland.
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