Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco remains steadfast in his pursuit of the California governor’s seat, despite appeals from the Republican camp urging him to step down in favor of leading conservative candidate Steve Hilton.
Hilton, taking the lead in recent polls, has pushed for Bianco to withdraw to bolster the chance of a Republican presence in the general election. However, Bianco stands his ground, expressing skepticism about Hilton’s ability to defeat a Democrat in the November showdown.
Bianco has accused Governor Gavin Newsom of intentionally strengthening Hilton’s campaign, suggesting Democrats prefer to challenge the ex-Fox News presenter.
“Gavin Newsom and his allies on the left are actively funding mailers to ensure that Steve Hilton becomes their opponent,” Bianco stated on X this Tuesday.
According to Politico, the Democratic Governors Association has recently circulated mail highlighting Hilton’s strong conservative credentials.
“They know a 1 on 1 with Steve ensures a Democrat win in November,” Bianco said.
Hilton pleaded with Bianco to end his campaign in a California Post opinion piece, writing: “Chad, let’s do this for the sake of the state we both love.”
“The numbers don’t lie: You can’t win, but your continued presence in the race means that California could lose — big time. The power to avoid that is in your hands,” Hilton wrote.
A poll published Tuesday by the California Democratic Party shows Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra leading the field, with Hilton getting 22% voter support compared to Becerra’s 21%. Bianco had just 10% support with just two weeks remaining before the June 2 primary.
The top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election.
Hilton cited Newsom’s recent reference to a “break the glass” strategy to stop two Republicans from advancing to the general election.
The governor didn’t elaborate much on the specifics, but alluded to “action efforts” behind the scenes, saying he is “making my case” to “encourage that doesn’t happen.”