Although he’s been elected by the voters twice, Bianco says he’s not a politician — which is why he believes his campaign for California governor is resonating, as reflected in the polls.<\/p>\n
“I am the antithesis to California state government because I am going to take a nuclear bomb into that building and absolutely destroy everything that they do to us behind closed doors,” Chad Bianco told ABC7.<\/p>\n
Steve Hilton (R)<\/p>\n
Hilton is a former Fox News host and a vocal supporter of Trump. He was born in the UK where he served as director of strategy for former Prime Minister David Cameron, and then moved to California in 2012.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/18707796_steve-hilton-clean-AP-TN-img.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
He became a U.S. citizen in 2021.<\/p>\n
Hilton blames climate change policies for the housing and affordability crisis in California, saying the policies have made it more costly to build. He added that he doesn’t believe climate change played a role in last year’s destructive and deadly wildfires.<\/p>\n
“It’s a complete failure of Democrat policies, and to blame it all on climate change is an insult to everybody who lost their home,” Hilton said.<\/p>\n
Eyewitness News asked Hilton if he supports Trump’s tactics for immigration<\/a> enforcement, to which he said, “Everybody supports.”<\/p>\n “I can’t imagine a single person who doesn’t support what’s been done to close our southern border and stop this absolutely outrageous undermining of the law we saw in the Biden years. I’m a legal immigrant, and I’ve said many times, I’m the candidate of the legal immigrant community for the legal immigrant community,” Hilton said.<\/p>\n Leading in some polls in the wide-open California Governor’s race as the June primary creeps closer is Republican and former Fox News host Steve Hilton.<\/p>\n Tom Steyer (D)<\/p>\n Steyer is a billionaire who wants billionaires to pay their fair share<\/a>. He said California would not lose its competitive edge even if billionaires leave to shield their private wealth.<\/p>\n He also addressed a proposed one-time 5% wealth tax that has not yet made the ballot.<\/p>\n “In theory, I support it, and I’m going to wait and see what happens before I decide specifically if there is a wealth tax on the ballot,” he said.<\/p>\n Steyer also wants a special election to rewrite Proposition 13’s tax limits for commercial properties.<\/p>\n “Large businesses that own huge office buildings and huge malls have been getting a tax loophole for over 40 years that makes no sense,” Steyer said.<\/p>\n He added that the state remains an excellent place to start and grow companies but said controlling housing and health care costs plays a role.<\/p>\n “If we can control housing costs, and if we can control health care costs, that is going to make this a much easier place to do business,” he said.<\/p>\n California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer outlined his positions on health care, homelessness and his approach to the Trump administration.<\/p>\n Tony Thurmond (D)<\/p>\n Thurmond is California’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction. He’s been elected statewide twice, in 2018 and most recently in 2022, when he earned 63.7% and 5,681,318 votes.<\/p>\n Prior to serving as California’s superintendent of public instruction, Thurmond served in the State Assembly, and before then on the Richmond City Council and the West Contra Costa School Board.<\/p>\n In response to Hicks’s request for candidates polling in the single-digits to drop out, Thurmond said the party is “essentially telling every candidate of color<\/a> … to drop out.”<\/p>\n “This act doesn’t reflect the Democratic Party of 2026,” he said in a video his campaign posted on social media. “Aren’t we supposed to be the party who embraces democracy? A party of, by and for the people. Well, the establishment might not be, but our campaign is, and that’s why we’re in this race, to win it.”<\/p>\n Xavier Becerra (D) <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/18707799_tom-seyer-clean-AP-TN-img.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/18707803_tony-thurmond-clean-AP-TN-img.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n