California voters headed to the polls Tuesday to begin the process of selecting a successor to Gov. Gavin Newsom, and one result immediately grabbed the attention of political observers across the country: Republican Steve Hilton’s surprisingly strong performance in the state’s gubernatorial primary.

Although millions of ballots remain outstanding and California’s lengthy vote-counting process means final results may not be known for days or even weeks, early returns indicate Hilton and former Biden administration official Xavier Becerra are on track to advance to a highly anticipated November showdown.

California’s June 2 primary operated under the state’s top-two election system, which places all candidates on a single ballot regardless of party affiliation. The two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election, creating a dynamic that often produces unpredictable outcomes.

Democrats entered the race with a significant numerical advantage but faced a challenge of their own making: a crowded field that threatened to divide support among multiple high-profile candidates. That concern appeared to materialize as results rolled in Tuesday night.

As of Wednesday morning, Hilton held the lead with approximately 28 percent of the vote, outperforming expectations and positioning himself as the early frontrunner. Becerra followed in second place with roughly 25 percent, while billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer trailed in third at just under 20 percent despite investing heavily in his campaign.

The results left several well-known Democratic contenders on the outside looking in. Former Rep. Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa all failed to generate enough support to remain competitive, effectively ending their bids for the governor’s office.

Hilton’s strong showing is likely to energize Republicans who have struggled for statewide success in California for years. While Democrats still maintain a substantial registration advantage, the fragmented primary field created an opening that Hilton successfully capitalized on.

With ballots continuing to be counted, the exact margins remain subject to change. However, barring a dramatic shift in the outstanding vote, the race to replace Newsom appears increasingly likely to feature a head-to-head contest between Hilton and Becerra this fall.

The outcome sets the stage for what could become one of the nation’s most closely watched gubernatorial races, as voters in the country’s most populous state prepare to choose their next governor amid growing debates over the economy, public safety, homelessness, and the future direction of California.

Hilton’s strong performance quickly emerged as one of the night’s biggest surprises. The former Fox News host and onetime adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron entered the race as a political outsider, but his campaign gained momentum by tapping into voter frustration over California’s most persistent problems. Endorsed by President Donald Trump, Hilton focused heavily on issues such as homelessness, soaring housing costs, public safety concerns, burdensome regulations, and the state’s rising cost of living. Early results suggest that message struck a chord with voters increasingly dissatisfied with the status quo.

Becerra’s advancement to the projected runoff was significant in its own right. The former California attorney general and former Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden mounted a late surge after months of uncertainty about whether any Democrat could emerge from the crowded field as the clear favorite. While he never fully united the party’s various factions, Becerra ultimately secured enough support to claim a spot in November’s general election. If successful, he would become California’s first Latino governor.

The results also highlighted growing divisions within California’s Democratic coalition. Establishment Democrats largely coalesced around Becerra, while many progressive voters gravitated toward billionaire activist Tom Steyer and other candidates. The fractured Democratic vote likely contributed to Hilton’s first-place finish and provided Republicans with a significant morale boost heading into the fall campaign.

National political observers are watching the race closely because of California’s outsized influence. Home to nearly 40 million residents and boasting a state economy worth more than $4 trillion, California often serves as a political bellwether and policy laboratory for the rest of the country. The state’s next governor will inherit a daunting list of challenges, including housing affordability, homelessness, wildfire preparedness, water management, and an increasingly unstable insurance market. Those concerns dominated voter conversations throughout the primary campaign and are expected to remain central issues in the general election.

Despite the early projections, election officials continue to count millions of ballots. California law allows valid mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted after polls close, meaning final vote totals could continue shifting over the coming days. Nevertheless, current returns strongly indicate that Hilton and Becerra are positioned to advance to a November showdown.

Beyond the governor’s race, Californians also voted in a number of congressional and statewide contests that could have national implications. Several competitive House districts are expected to become major battlegrounds as both parties fight for control of Congress.

For now, however, the spotlight remains firmly on Hilton. By outperforming expectations and finishing atop the primary field, he demonstrated that Republicans may possess more political strength in California than many analysts assumed. Democrats remain the favorites in a state that has voted reliably blue for decades, but Tuesday night’s results suggest the race to replace Gavin Newsom could be far more competitive than initially anticipated.

A newly surfaced detail from a federal terrorism investigation is drawing renewed attention to alleged Iran-linked threats against President Donald Trump’s family, including first daughter Ivanka Trump.

The revelation emerged after Daily Wire reporter Kassy Akiva said she uncovered a disturbing reference buried deep within a Department of Justice terrorism complaint that had received little mainstream media attention.

“I found something buried in a DOJ terrorism document that no major outlet noticed. …An Iran-backed terror group threatened Ivanka Trump and referenced a date that lines up with a Disneyland Paris trip she took while members of the terror network were operating in Paris,” Akiva wrote Wednesday on X.

According to the federal complaint, the threat allegedly came from Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, a group prosecutors describe as a front organization connected to Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The organization is accused of operating within a broader Iran-backed terror network allegedly involved in plotting attacks against American and Israeli interests throughout Europe.

Federal prosecutors claim the group posted a threatening message on Snapchat that appeared to reference Ivanka Trump directly.

“Your daughter was on the brink of death thirteen days ago,” the message allegedly stated, according to the DOJ filing.

The timing of the threat quickly raised concerns because Ivanka Trump had publicly documented a family vacation to Disneyland Paris during the same timeframe prosecutors allege terror operatives tied to the network were active in France.

Photos from the trip had been shared publicly online, prompting questions about whether members of the alleged terror network may have been monitoring high-profile American figures abroad.

The DOJ complaint reportedly outlines how operatives connected to the organization coordinated activities across several European countries while simultaneously spreading extremist propaganda and threats through online platforms. Prosecutors allege the network functioned as part of Iran’s broader proxy infrastructure, which U.S. intelligence officials have increasingly accused of targeting American officials, dissidents, and allies in retaliation for escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The newly resurfaced threat adds another layer to longstanding national security concerns surrounding Iranian retaliation efforts tied to the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed IRGC Gen. Qassem Soleimani under President Trump’s administration.

Since Soleimani’s death, federal agencies and intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about Iran-linked assassination plots, surveillance operations, and terror threats targeting current and former Trump administration officials.

Several criminal cases and intelligence bulletins issued over the past few years have detailed alleged Iranian efforts to monitor or target prominent Americans connected to Trump’s national security and foreign policy decisions.

The DOJ has not publicly indicated whether the threat involving Ivanka Trump moved beyond online communications or whether investigators believe she was ever in immediate physical danger while overseas. However, the language included in the complaint has intensified scrutiny over the scope and reach of Iran-backed networks operating internationally.

Ivanka Trump has not publicly addressed the resurfaced threat.

The original details surrounding the DOJ filing were first highlighted by Trending Politics News, which noted the apparent connection between the alleged threat and Ivanka Trump’s documented presence in Paris while suspected terror operatives were reportedly active nearby.

The revelations arrive as President Trump’s administration continues increasing pressure on Iran amid ongoing nuclear negotiations and rising military tensions in the Middle East. U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Tehran of expanding its proxy operations throughout the region and beyond, while Iran has denied involvement in targeting American civilians or political figures.

As investigators continue examining the alleged terror network, the case is expected to further elevate concerns over the security risks facing high-profile American officials and their families amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

The Justice Department has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into writer E. Jean Carroll, the woman who successfully sued President Donald Trump in two high-profile civil cases connected to allegations that he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.

According to multiple reports published Wednesday evening, federal prosecutors are now examining whether Carroll may have committed perjury during sworn testimony related to her lawsuits against Trump. The investigation is reportedly being overseen by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, though officials have not publicly confirmed specific details about the probe.

The reported investigation centers on statements Carroll made during a 2022 deposition tied to her legal battle against Trump. During that testimony, Carroll allegedly stated that no outside individuals or organizations were financing her lawsuits. However, later court disclosures reportedly revealed that some of her legal expenses were supported through a nonprofit organization connected to LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, a billionaire Democratic donor known for backing anti-Trump political causes and legal initiatives.

Federal investigators are reportedly reviewing whether Carroll’s statements under oath conflicted with the financial arrangements later disclosed by her attorneys. Legal experts note that the opening of a criminal investigation does not automatically mean charges will be filed, nor does it indicate wrongdoing has been proven.

CNN first reported the existence of the investigation Wednesday, citing multiple anonymous sources familiar with the matter. Other national media outlets later confirmed elements of the report.

Carroll first accused Trump of sexually assaulting her inside a dressing room at a Manhattan department store during the mid-1990s. Trump has consistently and repeatedly denied the allegations, arguing that the encounter never happened and claiming he did not know Carroll personally.

The legal fight between the two became one of the most closely watched courtroom battles involving Trump in recent years.

In 2023, a New York jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in Carroll’s first civil lawsuit, awarding her $5 million in damages. Jurors concluded that Carroll had proven her claims under New York’s civil standards, though Trump was not found liable for rape as defined under state law.

A second jury verdict followed in 2024 after Carroll sued Trump again over statements he made publicly denying her allegations and criticizing her credibility. In that case, the jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defamation, one of the largest defamation judgments in modern American political history.

Trump has appealed both verdicts, arguing that the trials were politically motivated and legally flawed.

The latest development adds another dramatic chapter to the long-running legal conflict between Trump and Carroll, especially as Trump continues serving as president while simultaneously battling multiple legal challenges on several fronts.

Reports also indicate that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from any involvement in the investigation due to his prior work representing Trump in matters connected to Carroll’s lawsuits. Blanche’s recusal was reportedly intended to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest as federal prosecutors review the allegations surrounding Carroll’s deposition testimony.

As of Wednesday night, Carroll’s attorneys had not publicly commented on the reported investigation, and the Justice Department had not issued an official statement addressing the matter.

Whether the investigation ultimately results in criminal charges remains unclear, but the development is likely to intensify political and legal scrutiny surrounding one of the most controversial and closely followed cases involving President Trump.