Polls have shown California voters have been largely disengaged from the upcoming election for governor, but over the weekend one candidate managed to capture the public’s attention – and ire.

Steve Hilton, the British political strategist seeking the state’s top office, drew derision after posting a video outside a southern California location of the fast food chain Del Taco while holding the hard-shell tortilla concoction that he referred to as a “street taco”.

“We just did a great town hall here in Barstow,” Hilton said in a video shared on social media in which he could be seen holding a “Barstow street taco” that he had bought from a “historic location”, the “original Del Taco”.

His description drew swift criticism in the state where tacos are practically the official dish.

“The first Del Taco was in Yermo, and that’s DEFINITELY not a ‘street’ taco. Signed, the guy who wrote the book about the history of Mexican food in the United States,” Gustavo Arellano, the Los Angeles Times columnist, said in response.

Another person wrote that Hilton’s description was “instantly disqualifying”. But Hilton was quick to defend himself, stating that the business called it a “Barstow street taco”. He added that his running mate, the lieutenant governor candidate Gloria Romero, took him to the location where she worked as a teen.

“Not everything in life has to be turned into a political argument!!” he said.

Street tacos are traditionally made with two soft corn tortillas. Commenters pointed out that although Hilton said the restaurant described the item as a “Barstow street taco”, the location’s menu actually called it a “Barstow taco”.

The Republican, who received an endorsement from Donald Trump, has been a frontrunner in the governor’s race to the surprise of UK political veterans who described him as an “ideologue rather than doer” and “not a serious politician”.

The former David Cameron adviser has pledged to reduce taxes and tackle affordability and argued Democratic “one-party rule” has failed the state.