Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco became the first well-known Republican to announce a bid for California governor to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2026. Bianco is an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump and has criticized Newsom and other Democrats leading California.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco on Monday, Feb. 17, kicked off his gubernatorial bid before hundreds of cheering supporters in downtown Riverside. The Republican hopes to defy the odds and become California’s first GOP governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said he is running for governor of California in 2026, becoming the first major Republican to announce a bid for an election nearly two years away.