SACRAMENTO (VINnews) – Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and political strategist, secured a spot in November’s general election for California governor, advancing as the second-place finisher in the state’s June 2 primary, election officials and projections showed.

With the vast majority of ballots counted, Democrat Xavier Becerra led the crowded field, while Hilton held off a late challenge from billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer to claim the second spot in the top-two primary system, which advances the top two vote-getters regardless of party.

Hilton, who received Trump’s endorsement, celebrated the advancement as a step toward ending what he called 16 years of “one-party Democratic rule” in the state.

“Change is coming to California, and it’s long overdue,” Hilton told supporters. He has campaigned on cutting taxes and regulations, tackling high housing and gas prices, reforming education and restoring the “California Dream” for working families.

The British-born Hilton, 56, previously served as a senior adviser to former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron before moving to California more than a decade ago. He has hosted television shows, taught at Stanford University, co-founded businesses and led a policy group focused on bipartisan solutions.

Becerra, a former California attorney general and U.S. health secretary, is the heavy favorite in the heavily Democratic state, which has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.

Hilton’s campaign emphasized affordability issues resonating with voters frustrated by high costs of living, homelessness and bureaucracy. He positioned himself as a disruptor aiming to boost jobs in key sectors like entertainment, agriculture and small business.

Final primary results are still being certified amid California’s mail-in ballot system, which has drawn criticism for its pace. Hilton and his supporters have called for faster counting while awaiting official certification.

The general election matchup sets up a stark contrast between Becerra’s long record in Democratic leadership and Hilton’s outsider push for conservative-leaning reforms.

Hilton has already received more votes than any previous Republican candidate in a California gubernatorial primary, according to some analyses, signaling energized GOP turnout.