CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) — With just 11 days until California’s primary, two GOP candidates kicked off their weekend in Clovis, outlining their priorities for the state.<\/p>\n
Political commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco spoke about their approaches to government and policy at a closed-door forum.<\/p>\n
“We are going to cut the bloat in the government bureaucracy. All these agencies [that are] making our lives impossible, ruining every business…” Hilton said.<\/p>\n
“Our budget priorities have to be public safety, infrastructure, education, and then all of the reform with regulations,” Bianco said.<\/p>\n
The candidates also answered questions about the Central Valley, where voters are seen as critical for the GOP ticket after President Donald Trump carried Fresno County in 2024.<\/p>\n
“We will build every single dam that we need. We will convey that we have throughout California to make sure that we never run dry anywhere,” Bianco said.<\/p>\n
“We’ve got to finish Sites Reservoir. We’ve got to raise Shasta Dam. The canal … the South Folsom canal that we can bring suddenly into play,” Hilton said.<\/p>\n
Polling from Hilton’s campaign, released Friday, shows him with a 13-point lead over Bianco.<\/p>\n
“Chad Bianco is a long way behind and doesn’t really have a realistic path,” Hilton told Action News. Bianco disputed the polling.<\/p>\n
“It’s not his polling. He doesn’t have any money to have a poll. This is Democrat polling that he’s riding along with because they’re pulling him into November because they don’t want to face me,” Bianco told Action News.<\/p>\n
The primary ballot is crowded, with more than 60 candidates. Only the top two will advance.<\/p>\n
If Republican voters split, the GOP could be left without a candidate in the November midterms.<\/p>\n
“Some that say you should just rally behind [Hilton and] support a Republican ticket…” Action News asked.<\/p>\n
“It’s ridiculous. That is a guarantee that a Democrat will win the governorship in November,” Bianco responded. I’m going to win this for Californians.”<\/p>\n
Also in the race are dozens of Democratic challengers, including billionaire Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra. Becerra is expected to be in Fresno on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He is the former Health and Human Services secretary and this week characterized Hilton and others as needing training wheels.<\/p>\n
“Do you have the experience it takes to lead this state?” Action News asked.<\/p>\n
“I’ve got more experience coming into this than any government candidate has in terms of the range of experience, not just in government and politics,” Hilton said.<\/p>\n
Both candidates said the Central Valley is an important part of the state, specifically mentioning agriculture, and emphasized the importance of support from Republican voters, including farmers who attended the event.<\/p>\n
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