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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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Riverside County sheriff Chad Bianco, who has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, has entered the race to replace Gavin Newsom as California governor.
Why It Matters
Bianco is the first major Republican to announce a bid to become California governor.
Read More on Politics
California has historically been firmly blue, voting Democrat in every presidential election since 1988 and choosing a Democratic governor in each election since 2006.
But recent polling has indicated that the tide may be turning in the Golden State, which could impact the gubernatorial election in 2026. A February 6 Capitol Weekly poll found that only 11 percent of California voters believe the Democratic Party has effectively opposed the Trump administration, while 79 percent disagreed. Even among Democrats, just 19 percent expressed confidence in their party, with 68 percent saying it has fallen short. The survey of 1,198 voters also asked for a one-word description of the Democratic Party, with the most common responses being "lost," "ineffective" and "weak."
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Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is facing a recall bid after wildfires in Los Angeles burned over 47,900 acres, destroyed more than 16,250 homes and businesses, and killed 29 people. The recall petition, organized by Saving California, accuses Newsom of "gross mismanagement during the Los Angeles County fires," saying that "inadequate resources and delayed responses left communities devastated."
California saw the largest swing toward the Republicans of any state in the 2024 presidential election compared with 2020, moving 12 percentage points toward Trump.
What To Know
Bianco launched his campaign for California governor on Monday at an event in Riverside.
As he announced his candidacy, he criticized California's leadership, arguing that the state is on the wrong track because of decades of failed Democratic policies. He also emphasized the need for lower living costs, affordable housing, reliable energy, sufficient water for agriculture, lower taxes, and government transparency, and positioned himself as a leader who would cut through government red tape and challenge the political establishment in California.
He is one of more than half-dozen candidates who have officially announced that they are running for California governor. The others include former Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, former speaker of the California State Assembly, Toni Atkins, the state's current lieutenant governor, Eleni Kounalakis, as well as California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, and former state controller, Betty Yee.
Meanwhile, former representative Katie Porter is reportedly considering a run for governor after her unsuccessful Senate bid last year, while former health and human services secretary Xavier Becerra is also seen as a potential candidate. On the Republican side, former Fox News host and conservative commentator Steve Hilton is weighing a gubernatorial run, according to Fox News.
There are also rumors that former vice president Kamala Harris is considering a run. According to Politico, she instructed her advisers to keep her options open for either a 2026 gubernatorial campaign in her home state or a presidential bid in 2028.
"I am staying in the fight," she repeated during phone calls.
Harris has not said if she intends to run. However, if she decides to do so, she could significantly shake things up in a race where there is currently no clear front-runner among the official candidates.
An October UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll showed Kamala Harris with a strong lead in the 2026 California gubernatorial race, with 72 percent of Democrats likely to support her. While she has little backing from Republicans (8 percent) and moderate support from independent voters (38 percent), Democrats hold a 2-to-1 voter registration advantage in the state. Pressure for Harris to run increased after California Attorney General Rob Bonta endorsed her earlier this month, calling her a "field-clearing" candidate.
Former Trump aide Richard Grenell told reporters late last week that he would consider running if Harris enters the race.
"If Kamala Harris runs for governor, I believe that she has such baggage and hundreds of millions of dollars in educating the voters of how terrible she is, that it's a new day in California and that the Republican actually has a shot," he said. "And I wouldn't say no [to running]."
Who Is Chad Bianco?
Bianco has been Riverside County sheriff since 2018, and was reelected in 2022. He has built a statewide profile as a vocal critic of Newsom and the state legislature's Democratic supermajority.
He has also has accused the Democrats of going easy on criminals, driving California's Proposition 36 to a landslide victory in last November's election. The measure, which took effect in December, enforces tougher penalties and longer sentences for certain drug and theft crimes in the state.
He has also drawn headlines for his refusal to enforce potential vaccine mandates for Sheriff's Department employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a civil rights investigation into his department by state prosecutors, which Bianco has said is politically motivated.
Bianco has also been a vocal Trump supporter, endorsing him in the November election while joking: "I think it's time we put a felon in the White House. Trump 2024, baby."
Last fall, he stood by his claim that his deputies may have thwarted an assassination attempt on Trump, despite federal law enforcement refuting it.
Bianco has been a vocal critic of illegal immigration and the Biden administration's handling of the southern border. However, despite previously aligning with Republicans denouncing migrant flows, he recently clarified that his deputies will not engage in immigration enforcement, pushing back on claims that his personnel were actively involved in such operations in violation of state law, which designates California a sanctuary state.
As a sanctuary state, law enforcement in California are prohibited from using resources to assist in federal immigration enforcement. But Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, has warned that local law enforcement officials who refuse to cooperate with ICE agents on deportations will face federal prosecution.
Bianco stated that he would do everything possible—within the limits of California's sanctuary state laws—to work with ICE in deporting individuals held in jails.
What People Are Saying
Announcing his candidacy, Chad Bianco said: "It is only our Democrat elected officials who are responsible for the decline of California. What is it they have given us? Rampant crime, higher taxes, the highest cost of living in our nation, tent encampments in every major city, more fentanyl deaths, catastrophic fires, a broken home insurance market and people across our state are struggling to afford groceries and gas. Californians deserve better.
"As Californians we want leadership that actually cares about the cost of living…and leaders who will do something about it.
"We want homes we can afford. We want air conditioning when it's hot, not rolling blackouts. We want water for the crops and animals that feed us. We want the opportunity to achieve the California Dream, not be prevented from it because of red tape and regulation from government. We want honesty and transparency from our elected officials. We want lower taxes and less government waste. We want sanity restored and common sense to prevail.
"I am running for governor because our beautiful state—which I absolutely love—is heading down the wrong track and has been for years. Everyone knows it, except those sitting in the Sacramento echo chamber. For decades the party in complete control of our state government has tried the same failed ideas and implemented the same failed policies."
What Happens Next
California will elect its next governor in 2026 when Newsom's term ends. Newsom is believed to be a contender for the 2028 Democratic nomination for president. However, he has not yet expressed any desire to run.
In November, Newsom had +550 odds of becoming the next president, according to SportsBettingDime, which amounts to a 15 percent chance. Harris had +2500 odds, or a 4 percent chance.
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