Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco Fails To Get Key Endorsement From CA GOP

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco failed to get an endorsement from delegates meeting this weekend at the California Republican Party Spring Convention in San Diego — but so did his GOP rival in the 2026 governor’s race.

Bianco received 49% of the vote, while former Fox News Host Steve Hilton got 44%.

The remaining delegates voted to not endorse either candidate. Sixty percent of the vote was needed to gain the California GOP Party's endorsement.

The three-day convention, which began Friday, was held at the Sheraton San Diego Resort, with this year's theme of "Turning the tide, together." More than 1,100 delegates from across the state attended the event.

Bianco shrugged off the lack of an endorsement, saying Sunday that the result "didn't mean anything. I'm not running to get endorsements. I'm running for Californians," according to reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle.

The latest setback is one of several recent disappointments for the sheriff. On April 5, President Donald Trump announced via his Truth Platform that he endorsed Hilton in California's gubernatorial race. The nod came despite Bianco’s strong support for the current administration and its MAGA platform.

The following day, Bianco dismissed the importance of the president’s Hilton endorsement.

"For me, this has never been about being the top Republican," the sheriff said in an Instagram post. "I have promised to be a governor for all Californians. I've spent 33 years fighting for Californians, regardless of political party."

Bianco’s woes extend beyond endorsements. The California Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the sheriff to pause his investigation into alleged election fraud. Bianco launched the probe and seized voter ballots following unsubstantiated claims of election irregularities in the Nov. 4, 2025, Riverside County special election to decide Proposition 50.

The measure, which redrew California's congressional districts, passed overwhelmingly in the state. In Riverside County, 56.29% of 657,322 ballots were counted in favor of the measure.

Bianco had campaigned against Prop. 50, and a third-party election activist group claimed there were ballot-counting mistakes in Riverside County prompting the sheriff to seize election materials. Riverside County Registrar Art Tinoco has vehemently denied the allegations.

California's June 2 primary is fast approaching, and controversy surrounding Bianco could hurt the GOP. Under the state's top-two primary system, the two gubernatorial candidates who receive the most votes will advance to November's general election, regardless of their party affiliation.

With Trump weighing in on the California gubernatorial contest ahead of the primary, he may have hurt the chances of seeing two Republican candidates on the November ticket. The endorsement could lead California's Republican voters to back Hilton, with a Democratic candidate coming in second. If that happens, election watchers predict the number of ballots cast for a Democrat will far outnumber those cast for a Republican.

Trump's endorsement could go another way. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Betty Yee issued the following statement following Trump’s support for Hilton: "Endorsed by one of the most divisive, unpopular and ineffective presidents in modern history? That's no badge of honor, it's more like a mark of shame."

The Democrats are not without their problems. The governor’s race is packed with Democrats and no clear favorite, and one frontrunner announced Monday that he’s out amid multiple sexual assault allegations. Following widespread criticism, Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-Castro Valley) said he will resign from Congress. He announced Sunday he was suspending his gubernatorial campaign.

Related stories:

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Could Trump's Non-Endorsement Of Sheriff Chad Bianco Backfire On GOP?

Investigation Into Alleged Election Fraud Paused In Riverside County

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