Just a month ahead of California’s November 3 gubernatorial general election, republican candidate Steve Hilton released a new ad on X, designed to appeal to LGBTQ+ voters.
At first glance, the ad looks like one of the thousands of clips from films and TV shows that populate X. Two women sit on a bed in low lighting, and one sensually touches the other as soft music plays in the background. The progress pride flag hangs on a wall behind the two women, both sport colorful hair and facial piercings, and one of the two rocks a “RESIST” t-shirt and winged eyeliner. It’s clear that these two queer women about to embark on a sexual experience… right?
Not quite. If you could only hear the dialogue, you’d never know that this video is something much different. Forty seconds into this fifty-two second ad, the camera pans to the women filling in a ballot — finally revealing that this is actually a political ad. Soon after, yellow type appears on screen. “JUST TRY IT! Steve Hilton for Governor,” it reads.
Just try it, California. pic.twitter.com/6uqT6m8oV4
— Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) October 1, 2026
The delay in focus is by design. With the misleading dialogue and visual set-up, the video lures viewers in with the markers of a clear sapphic love story, ensuring viewer attention is captured, before flipping the script. It’s an odd video to produce with the hope of convincing LGBTQ+ viewers to vote republican in a state known for the queer-friendly metropolises of Los Angeles and San Francisco. But the queer community isn’t the only demographic this ad was designed to capture.
Unfortunately, too many of us know from experience that straight men love to watch sapphic sex. The same things likely to pull us into watching this video as we mindlessly scroll is likely to appeal to these men as well. It’s disappointing, though not surprising, to see sapphic sexuality once again get co-opted for someone else’s gain.
The video doesn’t espouse Hilton’s voting record or his promises to better California. It doesn’t attack his opponent (democrat Xavier Becerra). It doesn’t even share Hilton’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. The sole reason we’re encouraged to vote for Hilton is that tagline, “Just try it!”
This seems to be a new tagline for Hilton, as the next day he released an ad featuring Black man encouraged to vote by a white woo woo wellness practitioner. Again, the ad reads as something else until the ballot is revealed towards the end. But is this an effective strategy?
Expand your mind…
JUST TRY IT! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/My7W7qm6lK
— Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) October 2, 2026
It’s not clear. The Just Try It ad featuring the two women has been played 4.5 million times on X at the time of writing this article. However views aren’t votes, and not one of the comments below the ad is a person claiming to have been swayed by the video. Of course, the ad was published on Hilton’s official X account where many of Hilton’s supporters commented that the add was “wild,” “funny,” and even “creepy” before promising to remain by his side, undeterred. However, more conservative of the commenters decried the sexual overtones of the video.
“…As a mother and someone who has fought to protect the innocence of children, this crosses a line,” wrote Sonja Shaw, a school board president and conservative running for State Superintendent.
“What were you thinking Steve? At first I thought this was a fake ad but if you really did this I’m writing in someone else for Guv. Shame,” wrote Ann from Ventura.
“All for you Steve, but this just cost you the election[.] Disgraceful,” wrote Justin Barrows, a Turning Point USA Club America Field Rep wrote.
And, as predicted above, there were comments from those interested in watching “part 2” of the ad to see what the women on the bed do next.
The ad hasn’t spread far on other social media platforms yet. However a member of the LGBTQ+ community shared it on TikTok earlier today and dubbed it the ultimate Gen Z insult: “absolute CRINGE!” We couldn’t agree more.