Overview
- The Hilton campaign posted the provocative “Just Try It” spot to X on Oct. 1, and the video quickly racked up millions of views by portraying two young women in front of a Pride flag with one guiding the other to fill a mail ballot for Hilton.
- Prominent conservative voices publicly condemned the ad as exploitative or inappropriate, with Pastor Jack Hibbs calling it “grotesque” and state candidates like Sonja Shaw and Michael Gates denouncing its tone.
- Hilton initially defended the creative choice as a deliberate, attention-grabbing outreach to persuadable voters but then released a video saying he regretted the pain the ad caused some people.
- Recent September polls continue to show Hilton far behind Democrat Xavier Becerra, and the ad’s controversy comes as campaigns pivot to final advertising and turnout efforts while mail ballots are being distributed.
- Coverage and reaction split along ideological lines, with some critics on cable and social media focusing on the ad’s sexualized imagery and others arguing it earned attention that Hilton needs to break through California’s deep Democratic advantage.