Chad Bianco
Riverside sheriff who defied COVID rules now running on law-and-order.
Official campaign site ↗Bianco runs as an outsider lawman — pledging to declare a homelessness emergency on day one, end sanctuary cooperation, and make California 'safe again.'
A career deputy elected sheriff of Riverside County in 2018 and reelected in 2022, Bianco rose to statewide profile by refusing to enforce some COVID-era public-health orders and feuding with progressive prosecutors. His campaign is anchored in public-safety messaging and skepticism of California's homelessness response.
- +Strongest Republican brand on public safety
- +Inland Empire and Central Valley base — the GOP's votes
- +Has actually held elected office, unlike Hilton
- −Past Oath Keepers membership remains a recurring controversy
- −Trump did not endorse him — rival Hilton secured it
- −Limited fundraising compared to Hilton's TV-driven operation
Where Bianco stands on the eight issues
Housing & Cost of Living
SupportsBacks streamlined permitting and lower fees but opposes state preemption of local zoning. Less central to his platform than for Hilton.
Homelessness
Strongly supportsWants to declare a state homelessness emergency, expand conservatorship, and use law enforcement to clear encampments — a continuation of his Riverside County approach.
Climate & Environment
Strongly opposesOpposes the 2035 EV mandate and most state climate spending; supports expanding California's in-state oil production.
Healthcare
OpposesOpposes single-payer and the Newsom-era expansion of Medi-Cal benefits to undocumented adults.
Education
SupportsSupports parental-notification policies and education savings accounts; opposes statewide LGBTQ+ curriculum mandates.
Public Safety
Strongly supportsSignature issue. Wants to fully repeal Prop 47, expand police funding, and use state authority against progressive county prosecutors.
Immigration
Strongly opposesPledges to end the state sanctuary law and require local law enforcement to honor federal immigration detainers.
Economy & Taxes
SupportsSupports broad tax cuts, regulatory rollback, and infrastructure investment focused on Inland Empire and Central Valley.
