From Sheriff to Governor: Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco Mulling Run

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is reportedly thinking about the governor’s office.

Bianco, a lifelong law enforcer, was first elected Riverside County’s sheriff in 2018 – he was re-elected to the job in 2022 with nearly two-thirds of the vote.

While he himself is keeping rather mum about his possible run for governor, longtime campaign advisor Nick Mirman is not so hesitant.

“People are looking for leadership in Californoia,” said Mirman, who has worked with Bianco in the past.  “And Chad Bianco is a leader.”

If he decides to run, Bianco would be the first big name to enter the 2026 governor’s race on the Republican side. The Democrat side, by contrast, is already chockful of people who helped put the state in the state that it is in and hope to continue digging that same hole.

Current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis of Taylor Swift fame , state education superintendent and a good friend to have Tony Thurmond, political hack lifer Toni Atkins, and the vestigial Betty Yee  have already declared for the office. Deeply shady Attorney General Rob Bonta and Ficus tree with glasses Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra are also considering runs.

While many see the office of sheriff as – even though it is an elected position – essentially non-political, Bianco has not shied away from taking political stances before. He is currently chair of the “law enforcement committee” of the group trying to roll back the disastrous Proposition 47 with a new ballot measure.

Additionally, during the pandemic response, Bianco refused to enforce mandates on businesses and refused to mandate “vaccines” for county jail personnel.

And just last week, Bianco hammered current Governor Gavin Newsom for his inaction on the rash of “smash and grab” theft and other retail crime, laying the blame clearly at the feet of Prop 47 and its supporter Newsom.

Mirman also noted that, unlike many other law enforcement agencies around the state that are facing massive recruitment shortages – due in large part to cities and counties effusing to support their officers – Bianco’s Riverside sheriff’s office is looking at the opposite situation.

‘The recruitment is easy,” Mirman said.  “They want to work for Chad Bianco.”

As to moving from law enforcer to law maker, Mirman said Bianco’s experience and commitment to community safety would make the transition simple.

“California’s problems all circle the same issue: public safety,” Mirman said. “The sheriff has heard from – and been encouraged by – so many people, in law enforcement and outside, to run for governor and bring the state back”

As you may know, California is a very Democratic state. 50% of voters are Democrats, 25% no party preference (commonly referred to as independent) 20-ish% Republican, and the rest scattered amongst the Greens and Libertarians, etc.

In other words, not a great environment for Republican.

But if Bianco is the lone serious Republican by the time the 2026 primary  rolls around – in California every candidate from all parties are lumped together in the primary with the top two (unless someone gets 50% plus one vote) – then he may be able to follow the path that senate candidate Steve Garvey set in March – strong second to the leading Democrat  – considering the serious crowd of Democrats noted above, possibly a first place finish – in the spring and then hope for the best in November.

And, unlike Garvey, he will not have an evil Republican like Trump at the top of the ballot, possibly dampening Democratic turnout.

More work for the ballot harvesters, one supposes.