Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco Launches 2026 Governor Bid–But Will His Ties to Extremists Cost Him?

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a staunch conservative and vocal critic of California’s Democratic leadership, announced his candidacy for governor on Monday, setting the stage for a highly contentious 2026 election.

“We’re here to announce our campaign to be the next governor of California,” Bianco declared at Avila’s Historic 1929 Event Center in downtown Riverside, launching his campaign on President’s Day.

Bianco, the first major Republican to enter the race, framed his campaign as a referendum on what he described as decades of failed policies by Democratic leadership. “It is only our Democrat elected officials who are responsible for the decline of California,” he said. “What have they 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 homeowners’ insurance market, and more people struggling to afford groceries and gas. Californians deserve better.”

A Polarizing Figure in Law Enforcement

Bianco, first elected Riverside County sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, has built a reputation as an outspoken right-wing conservative. He has been affiliated with the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association and has been a guest on conservative media platforms, including Fox News and right-wing YouTube channels.

His tenure has not been without controversy. In 2022, Riverside County jails saw the highest number of inmate deaths in 15 years, prompting lawsuits against the county and Bianco himself. In 2023, the California Department of Justice launched an investigation into the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department over allegations of unconstitutional policing, excessive force, and inhumane jail conditions. Bianco defended his department, stating, “Every single one of these inmate deaths was out of anyone’s control.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bianco refused to enforce state mandates and openly opposed vaccination efforts. He later tested positive for the virus in 2021.

A Campaign Against “Radical Activism”

In his campaign speech, Bianco reflected on his move to California in 1989, touting his ability to achieve the “California Dream” through hard work, homeownership, and family. However, he lamented what he saw as the state’s decline.

“For the past 36 years, I achieved and lived my California dream,” he said. “Unfortunately, for my kids, destructive policies, political agendas, government overreach, radical activism, and special interests have turned the California dream into a nightmare.”

Bianco, who has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, criticized the state’s political class, including wealthy candidates entering the race. “As I watched over the past year or so, as career politicians and millionaires and billionaires position themselves for the governor election of 2026, I realize that we are blindly continuing onto this path of destruction,” he said.

The comment comes despite Bianco’s alignment with a political movement heavily supported by billionaires such as Elon Musk and Peter Thiel.

Facing Scrutiny Over Oath Keepers Ties

Bianco’s name surfaced in a 2021 leak of Oath Keepers membership records, revealing he had paid for a one-year membership in 2014. The far-right militia group has been linked to violent opposition against the U.S. government, including participation in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Bianco later disavowed the group’s actions, stating he never renewed his membership after 2014.

The Road to 2026

Bianco’s campaign seeks to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, who will be finishing his second and final term in 2026. While Bianco is the first major Republican to enter the race, speculation is growing over potential Democratic contenders, including former U.S. Senator and Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been rumored to be considering a run.

As California grapples with rising homelessness, high living costs, and environmental crises, Bianco’s campaign will likely test the appetite for a far-right candidate in a state where Republicans have struggled to gain traction in recent elections.

Bianco’s gubernatorial bid is expected to draw both staunch support from conservative voters and fierce opposition from Democrats and moderates. With Democrats holding a supermajority in the state legislature and Newsom’s administration firmly entrenched, Bianco may face an uphill battle in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.

As Bianco himself noted, the one thing California still has going for it, in his view, is “the weather.”