President Donald Trump stated at a rally in Pennsylvania that he intervened in California's primary elections by pressuring a U.S. Attorney to investigate a race he believed was being manipulated. Trump claimed this action helped Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton secure a spot in the general election runoff.
Trump cited the case of Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt, whose initial Election Day lead diminished as mail-in ballots were counted. Trump suggested this outcome fueled speculation of election rigging. "Did they screw the kid, Pratt? Boy, he’s leading, and all of a sudden he’s lost!" Trump said Tuesday.
He asserted that a similar situation unfolded in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, where late-arriving mail ballots appeared to shift the advantage towards Tom Steyer, who was seeking to overtake Hilton for second place. "I said, here we go again. And I called up the U.S. Attorney in California," Trump recounted. He stated he asked the U.S. Attorney to "take a look" because he believed "they’re trying to steal that election, too."
According to Trump, the U.S. Attorney's office subsequently contacted his campaign to review votes. Shortly after, he said, news reports indicated Hilton had advanced to the runoff. Trump claimed, "Had I not made that call, Steve Hilton would right now be looking, watching the election from home."
During his remarks, Trump reiterated his criticism of California's extensive mail-in ballot system and the time it takes to count votes, referring to the state's election process as "rigged." He concluded his commentary by advocating for a federal election bill.
Officials in California have previously pushed back against Trump's claims of widespread fraud. In response to Trump's comments on Tuesday, the office of Governor Gavin Newsom issued a one-word reply: "False!" However, the governor's office has acknowledged frustration with the slow pace of vote tabulation in the state.