Attendees hold up signs in support of governor candidate Steve Hilton during the 2026 California Republican Party Spring Convention at the Sheraton San Diego Resort on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
Kristian Carreon
TNS
San Diego
The California Republican Party declined to endorse a candidate for governor at its 2026 convention, one week after President Donald Trump announced his support for Steve Hilton.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Hilton, a former Fox News host, both fell short of the 60% threshold required for endorsement on Sunday afternoon. The no-consensus decision is further evidence that race for governor remains volatile just months away from the June primary. In February, the state’s Democratic party also failed to endorse a candidate.
Sunday’s result comes just days after multiple outlets reported accusations of sexual assault against U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of leading candidates in the polls. A chorus of top Democrats have called on him to step aside in the race.
The final vote of 1,101 delegates favored Bianco 49% to 44%. Another 7% voted for a no endorsement. In the minutes leading up to the vote tally, Bianco supporters took over the crowd with chants.
Still, last week, Trump released a statement publicly backing Hilton and cited that their relationship dated back years. GOP consultants and political experts had predicted the president’s support of Hilton, which they say is more important than the party endorsement, increased the likelihood that neither man met the 60% threshold.
“Hilton has what he needs to go to likely Republican voters — the support of the president,” said Jon Fleischman, a former executive director of the state Republican Party. “Sheriff Bianco really wanted to come out of this convention being able to say, well, the party says I should be the person. And so not getting that, I think, really makes Hilton the winner.”
Sunday’s result drew mixed reactions from attendees. One man in the crowd asked party leadership to suspend party rules and endorse both men in the minutes after the vote. That suggestion was immediately dismissed.
Other GOP leaders were elated, saying that the non-endorsement further increases the chances of a Republican versus Republican general election. Polls show that is unlikely to happen.
“Republicans have figured it out,” said Shawn Steel, a Republican National Committee member and former California Republican Party Chairman. “What we really want after June is a real Bianco versus Hilton race. Then we can get really excited.”
The result was emblematic of the varied support over the weekend. Dozens of attendees wore attire and carried signs backing each candidate, though support appeared to slightly favor Bianco.
Among those backing Hilton were Hilaro and Guadalupe Gonzales, a married couple from Los Angeles. They were attending their fifth Republican convention and each carried a pin highlighting their governor endorsement.
The Gonzales couple said their support for Hilton partially stemmed from a belief that he had a better chance of winning in November.
“Much rather support someone that has a shot,” Guadalupe Gonzales said.
Karen Contreras, a Republican who lives San Bernardino, voted for Bianco. She pointed to his experience in law enforcement and stated goal to eliminate the state income tax.
“We need somebody who’s intimately familiar with law and order,” Contreras said.
The two men had spent the weekend trying to consolidate support. They walked the hallways shaking hands with attendees, provided brief speeches at panels and each held a Saturday night reception. Bianco’s event garnered more people.
Bianco, who wore his sheriff’s uniform, was often trailed by two people carrying flags that said “Only The Sheriff Can Save Us Now.”
Hilton quickly capitalized on Trump’s support. His booth was selling shirts that read “President Trump endorses Steve Hilton for governor.” At a candidate forum Saturday afternoon, Hilton emphasized that he was the sole endorsed governor candidate from “the leader of our party.”
“Someone we all know who knows very well how to pick a winner,” Hilton told the crowd who responded in cheers.
Bianco later spoke at the forum and brought up his support among state legislators, law enforcement and the California Republican Assembly — a group made of the party’s grassroots activists. He also seemed to reference disparaging mailers sent by Hilton in recent weeks including one that scrutinized Bianco for kneeling with Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020.
“This was never supposed to be about a dishonest smear campaign and bullseyes,” he said. “Democrats and lifetime, typical politicians believe the ends justifies the means. Republicans of character say it does not.”
This story was originally published April 12, 2026 at 12:52 PM.
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Mathew Miranda is a political reporter for The Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Bureau, covering how decisions in Washington, D.C., affect the lives of Californians. He is a proud son of Salvadoran immigrants and earned degrees from Chico State and UC Berkeley.