In the accompanying talks in LA, Becerra and Hilton gave a preview of November

In separate speeches delivered hours apart, the two California gubernatorial hopefuls stuck to common themes — offering a glimpse of the issues that could define the November election to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, wanted to tie Republican challenger Steve Hilton to President Trump during remarks Wednesday at the National Assn. for a conference of Latino elected and appointed officials in downtown LA

Hilton focused on his immigrant roots and how to help small businesses in California, and ignored Becerra’s attacks.

Their appearance at the conference marked the first time that both have been selected to appear at the same event since it began on June 2.

Becerra, the former US Health and Human Services secretary and former California attorney general, came out on top in the primary, winning 28% of the vote. Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, followed with 24.6%.

Republicans make up only one-fourth of the state’s registered voters, so Hilton may face an uphill battle in November.

Democrats, including Newsom, have sought attention for attacking Trump and defending California’s policies, and Becerra appeared to lean toward that approach Wednesday.

Without mentioning Hilton or Trump by name, Becerra called the president a “false” prophet during his 10-minute speech.

“We don’t need people who promise to end the war in one day, and today, we are still fighting it and others,” said Becerra, referring to the ongoing US attack on Iran. “We don’t need someone who said he would lower the price of fuel and then increase it by starting a reckless and illegal war.”

California “doesn’t need those prophets and worse. And I’m telling you this – in California we will not accept their students,” Becerra said, apparently referring to Hilton.

Hilton, who spoke for about five minutes, acknowledged that he was endorsed by Trump. He then focused on the topic of immigration and spoke again about the laws and regulations of the province which he accused of harming small businesses.

He talks about how his parents moved from Hungary to Britain, and how he moved to California in 2012.

“That story of immigrant longing, climbing the ladder of opportunity in a new country, that’s my story,” Hilton said.

Hilton studied at Oxford University and served as a senior adviser to former UK Prime Minister David Cameron before moving into government. He also talked about his time managing restaurants.

“That’s a really tough business, and it’s tough today in California for small business owners, for working-class Californians, and that’s what I’m fighting for in this campaign,” he said.

Hilton said he’s “not a thinker,” and he “doesn’t want to tell anyone how to live their life or run their business.”

“I just want everyone to experience rising to that level of opportunity,” he said.

Becerra also chastised Hilton for an incident in May, when Hilton filmed himself eating a Del Taco taco, which he called a “street taco.”

Becerra, looking excited, told the NALEO audience that you don’t get street tacos “at some establishment that’s been around for a long time.”

“You get it on the street from a guy who has been doing it for a long time with his little cart,” he said.

Newsom and US Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also spoke earlier during the conference, which included discussions of the recent killings of immigrants by federal officials.

“The price of freedom, of democracy, of inclusion, is high,” Becerra said, adding that the price of “just driving brown” is “very high.”