California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer, a billionaire, recently shared a video with AB Hernandez, a transgender-identifying athlete competing in California girls track and field. In the clip, Steyer expressed pride in Hernandez for his accomplishments.
The timing coincided with Steyer’s upcoming primary election in California. Hernandez advanced to the final rounds of state championships in long jump, triple jump, and high jump after Friday’s preliminaries.
California’s CIF pilot program has a policy that allows transgender athletes like Hernandez to move ahead of female competitors, resulting in shared podium finishes for girls who finished behind Hernandez. This is the policy Steyer endorsed by praising Hernandez.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton criticized Steyer, calling his stance “wildly extreme” and “totally out of touch” with most California families and young people. Hilton’s campaign later shared Steyer’s post on social media to mock his endorsement.
Reports indicate that President Trump previously warned California in May 2025 about transgender males competing in girls’ sports and considered withholding federal funding over the issue.
In the video, Hernandez described being “outed” and “doxxed,” which he said has caused safety concerns. Steyer responded by emphasizing his duty as governor to protect citizens from harmful influences and expressed pride in Hernandez’s achievements.
