Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco on Monday formally announced his candidacy for governor of California.
Bianco, 57, made the anticipated announcement at a campaign opener in Avila’s Historic 1929 Event Center in Riverside. The event put to rest months of speculative chatter regarding the sheriff’s future plans. He’s expected to be joined by his family and several area elected officials.
“I am running for governor because our beautiful state — which I absolutely love — is heading down the wrong track and has been for years,” Bianco said. “Everyone knows it, except those sitting in the Sacramento echo chamber.”
The Republican candidate was joined by his family, several area elected officials and several hundred supporters.
“For decades the party in complete control of our state government has tried the same failed ideas and implemented the same failed policies,” Bianco said. “Californians 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.”
Bianco was first elected sheriff in 2018 amid backing from the deputies’ union, the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association. He had previously run unsuccessfully against then-Sheriff Stan Sniff in 2014.
Bianco has been in law enforcement for more than three decades. He is the highest-paid elected official in county government, netting composite income in 2023 of $593,518, according to payroll figures released by the California State Controller’s Office.
The sheriff has manifested regular distaste for Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying in an interview last April that “we don’t agree on much of anything.” Newsom won’t be on the ballot this time around.
The field of prospective candidates November 2026 has been growing. Last year, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis declared her candidacy, along with former Los Angeles Mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and former State Controller Betty Yee, all Democrats.
The GOP slate is less certain, leaving open the possibility that Bianco may be the main attraction on the Republican side.
The state primary election in June 2, 2026..
[publish_date
