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California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton discusses the state’s spending on healthcare for migrants and his plans to improve affordability on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’
California gubernatorial candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., over what he called a $20 million state-funded diaper initiative, arguing the program pays significantly more per diaper than parents would spend at retail stores.
"Gavin Newsom is taking $20 million of your money to send 100,000 babies 400 diapers," Hilton said in a video posted to social media. "That works out at $0.50 per diaper. We just came into Target to check out what you could buy it for in the store. $15.62 for the box. That works out at $0.16 per diaper."
Newsom's office strongly disputed Hilton's math, calling it inaccurate.
Hilton filmed the video inside a Target store while comparing retail diaper prices to the state program’s projected costs. The program announced by Newsom’s administration would provide diaper supplies to low-income families through nonprofit organizations and community partners.
California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton questions Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $20 million diaper initiative, claiming the program costs taxpayers roughly three times more per diaper than store prices. (Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register/Getty Images)
"Gavin Newsom’s diapers are three times more expensive," Hilton said. "This isn’t even Costco. Why is it three times more expensive for Gavin Newsom to send diapers to 100,000 babies than just leaving the money in the bank accounts of the parents in the first place?"
Hilton also accused the Newsom administration of routing funds through politically connected nonprofit groups.
"Because he is going to some total nonsense nonprofit, which the cronies of his are going to make money," Hilton said.
Newsom's office sharply disputed Hilton in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"The 2025-26 State Budget includes funds for a diaper contract that was awarded to Baby2Baby. The $6.2 million contract Baby2Baby received is designed to cover 25% of California (100,000) births at 400 diapers per infant, which equates to 15.5 cents per diaper," the office said, saying Hilton's analysis was "inaccurate."
"California has not paid $20 million for the Golden State Start initiative, and to state so is factually inaccurate. $7.4 million was approved in the 25-26 state budget in partnership with the California Legislature. Currently, an additional $12.5 million is being proposed for the 26-27 fiscal year, but still needs to be approved," it added.
Newsom's office also pushed back against Hilton calling Baby2Baby a "nonsense nonprofit," writing, "Baby2Baby was chosen through an RFI process. It is a national nonprofit with strong experience in delivering diapers for families in need: in the last 15 years, Baby2Baby has distributed over 300 million diapers to families in need across the country. This company was chosen for possessing the structures, supplies, and experience necessary to deliver at scale for the Golden State Start initiative."
Businessman Marcus Lemonis weighed in on the debate in a post on X.
"Math always wins," Lemonis wrote.
California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton questions Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $20 million diaper initiative, claiming the program costs taxpayers roughly three times more per diaper than store prices. (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Fox News contributor Joey Jones also criticized the initiative during a television appearance, arguing California families face broader affordability problems.
"If Democrats REALLY cared about this issue, make it easier to raise a family in California," Jones said. "Don’t charge them $2 extra a gallon for gas because that needs to be special California gas, and there’s this crazy, weird surcharge that you don’t even know where it comes from."
Jones also criticized other state spending priorities while discussing the diaper initiative.
"Don’t do things like spend a hundred million dollars on a land bridge so the California cougars can get from one side of the interstate to the other," Jones said. "What do you do? You put a Band-Aid on a tourniquet problem and run for president."
DUFFY MOCKS NEWSOM’S ‘BRIDGES TO NOWHERE’ AS CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE CROSSING OVERRUNS BY $21M
Retired Marine and Fox News contributor Joey Jones argues California should focus on lowering the cost of living for families rather than expanding government assistance programs. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Republican congressional candidate Melissa Bailey accused Democrats of using taxpayer money inefficiently.
"There’s no such thing as a free diaper," Bailey wrote on X. "CA has a shiny new free diaper program but taxpayers are footing the bill."
"Democrats do this EVERY SINGLE TIME," Bailey wrote. "Gavin Newsom is stealing taxpayer money, laundering it to a nonprofit run by his wife’s friend, to buy diapers at $.50 a pop. Diapers cost less than half that at major retailers. Connected insiders win. Taxpayers lose."
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"Taxpayer dollars are not being stolen and laundered. The Golden State Start is an initiative approved through the 25-26 state budget in partnership with the California Legislature. And as previously mentioned, the actual cost per diaper breakdown equates to about $.15 per diaper, not $.50," Newsom's office responded.
Note: This article was updated with a response from Newsom's office.
