Chad Bianco, Riverside County sheriff, announces run for governor

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco officially announced Monday, Feb. 17, that he’ll run for governor in 2026, hoping a campaign centered on fighting crime and targeting Sacramento’s Democratic leadership can overcome questions about his background and recent challenges for Republicans seeking statewide office.

Bianco, a Republican, launched his bid before hundreds of enthusiastic, sign-waving supporters at Avila’s 1929, a downtown Riverside venue.

“I am here to announce our campaign for governor of California,” Bianco said to loud cheers and applause. “I’m running for governor of our beautiful state, which I absolutely love (because it’s) heading down the wrong track and has been for years.”

Bianco took aim at what he called the Sacramento Democratic “echo chamber” that has tried “the same failed ideas and the same failed policies” for decades.

“It is only our Democrat-elected officials who are responsible for the decline of California,” Bianco said. “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 homeowners’ insurance market and people across our state are struggling to afford groceries and gas.”

The gubernatorial race is for an open seat. Democrat Gavin Newsom, California’s governor since 2018, can’t run for reelection due to term limits.

A number of candidates on the Democratic side have already announced for governor, including former state Senate President Toni Atkins, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former state Controller Betty Yee.

There’s also speculation that 2024 Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Orange County Democratic Congressmember Katie Porter will run. Democrat and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a rumored candidate, said this month he’s not entering the race.

On the GOP side, former Fox News host Steve Hilton is rumored to be eyeing a 2026 bid for governor. The gubernatorial election’s timing works out well for Bianco, whose term as sheriff doesn’t end until 2028 thanks to a state law that shifted California sheriffs’ elections to presidential election years.

California’s top-two primary system sends the two biggest vote-getters, regardless of party, to the November general election. Usually, a Republican and a Democrat advance to November.

From there, the odds heavily favor Democrats.

California, a blue state, hasn’t elected a Republican to a statewide office since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 — and the 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial elections were called for Newsom minutes after polls closed.

Since moving to California in 1989, Bianco said he’s been able to able to “achieve and live” his California dream.

“Unfortunately for my kids, destructive policies, political agendas, government overreach and regulation, radical activism and special interests have turned the California dream into a nightmare for millions of Californians,” he said.

“Today, we fire up the machine that will restore the promise to all Californians that the dream is still alive.”

Bianco also took aim at the various Democrats running for governor, saying “all of them want to be the first of this, the first of that, highlighting the worst aspect of this woke culture.”

“It is no longer about character, ability, leadership or what’s worse, it’s not about Californians. It is about them,” the sheriff said. “I believe California is in desperate need of an honest, ethical, moral governor with integrity whose only interest is to serve all of California.”

Bianco also touted his role in advocating for Proposition 36, a successful 2024 ballot measure that tightened punishments for certain drug and theft offenses in what conservatives hailed as a rebuke of progressive criminal justice reform.

By passing Proposition 36, “California stood up and said ‘We have had enough,’” Bianco said.

“Californians want our streets cleaned up, tent encampments gone and public safety restored,” he said. “They want schools whose only mission is to educate our children. Leave the politics out of our schools and let parents raise their children.”

Elected officials sharing the stage with Bianco included Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona; Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin; Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel; and Assemblymembers Greg Wallis, R-Bermuda Dunes; Jeff Gonzalez, R-Coachella; Leticia Castillo, R-Riverside; and Bill Essayli, R-Corona.

“Common sense” and “competence” are needed in Sacramento, Calvert told supporters before Bianco spoke. “That’s what President (Donald) Trump has brought to Washington and it’s what Chad Bianco will bring to Sacramento.”