Steve Hilton held nothing back on Wednesday in California's only gubernatorial debate, slinging an expletive-laden nickname at his Democratic foe, Xavier Becerra.

During the CNN-hosted debate, Hilton said Becerra had been called an "idiot" and a "bitch-ass" by former colleagues. The "bitch-ass Becerra" barb was allegedly coined by Becerra's fellow Biden appointee and ex-director of the Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice.

'You've never actually had to make any money of your own.'

Rice served alongside Becerra during his tenure as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.

Just prior to the debate, Hilton launched bitchassbecerra.com, raking his opponent over the coals for his record on fraud, gender ideology extremism, and human trafficking.

Hilton and Becerra clashed over competence, immigration, affordability, and the Trump administration as the debate continued.

“You've never created a job. You've never actually had to make any money of your own. All you've ever done is spent other people's money in every government job you've had,” Hilton said. “According to your Democrat colleagues, the ones who worked with you, like Susan Rice, who worked with you side by side when you were in the Biden Cabinet — she described you as an idiot."

"She called you 'bitch-ass,'" Hilton said.

According to a CNN tweet late Wednesday night, Rice has denied the remarks.

The candidates went tit for tat over immigration. Hilton accused Becerra of losing track of unaccompanied migrant children by prioritizing speedy releases into the general public as HHS secretary. The Office of Refugee Resettlement, responsible for unaccompanied migrant children, is a part of HHS.

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

Becerra in turn tarred Hilton as a racist.

"You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me," Becerra said. Forty-one percent of Californians are Latino.

Hilton faces an uphill battle in the deep-blue state. The former Fox broadcaster and U.K. political operator is trailing Becerra 60% to 38% among likely voters, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll.

That same poll found that 52% of likely voters think California is headed in the wrong direction. Hilton used that sentiment to his advantage during the debate, calling on voters to consider giving him a chance after nearly two decades under Democratic supermajorities in California.

"Xavier Becerra, you’re the candidate who is supported by the machine in Sacramento — the unions, big business, all these people that, for 16 years, have given us the highest cost of living in the country, made it impossible to build anything, given us the highest unemployment rate, the highest poverty rate," Hilton said.

Democrats have controlled the governor's mansion, state Assembly, and state Senate since 2011.

Becerra dedicated much of his time on the debate stage emphasizing Hilton's proximity to President Donald Trump.

"Steve, you're running for governor of California, and you'll enforce Trump's laws at the federal level, but you won't enforce state laws at our level," Becerra said. "California welcomed you, and you welcomed ICE mercenaries into our state in return."

Hilton responded by accusing Becerra of scapegoating the president and ignoring Californians' real concerns.

"All you ever say is Trump, Trump, Trump, and that's nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state," Hilton said.

California voters will have to wait some time to see whether they get change or more of the same. State officials have 30 days to count votes after Election Day, and the state has been plagued by lengthy ballot-counting times in recent elections, including the 2026 primary in June.

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