Watch GOP hopefuls Bianco and Hilton make their pitch for governor to Clovis audience
The Fresno County GOP all-stars turned out last week for a dinner and forum featuring the two Republican candidates for governor — Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
The candidates agreed on every question posed to them. There wasn’t any separation on policy issues, such as cracking down on crime, enforcing immigration, and deregulating to stimulate the economy. They agreed on social issues, such as transgender athletes not competing in the girls division.
How to win became a dividing issue and talk among event goers.
Bianco said Republicans need to be strategic and not emotional. That means ignoring President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Hilton.
“In California, Trump derangement syndrome is real,” Bianco said.
He estimated 15% to 20% of Democrats have to cross over for a Republican to become governor.
“They will vote for a sheriff that they’ve already elected for decades of service outside of party politics to provide a better public safety and get rid of the corruption in their state,” Bianco said.
Hilton was confident he will be the pick.
“If we get that big Republican vote in November, that’s the starting point for building that majority. We’ve got everything we need to take back our state this year,” Hilton told the crowd.
Hilton is an immigrant from England espousing populist conservative ideals. He has never held elective office. Bianco shares those same viewpoints but has held the elected Riverside County sheriff’s position for the last seven years.
Bianco won election for Riverside County sheriff in 2018. He made headlines earlier this year when he seized ballots from his county’s election office, investigating what he said were irregularities in last year’s special election to redraw congressional maps. A California Supreme Court ruling last month paused Bianco’s investigation.
Hilton served as an advisor to former UK Prime Minister David Cameron before moving to California in 2012 and becoming a U.S. citizen. He hosted several TV shows with conservative ideals. He also served as a commentator for Fox News before running for governor.
Who will be the Republican advancing?
California’s top-two primary system means the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
The only agreement between Bianco and Hilton is that only one is likely to advance.
“You can’t have two Democrats in the top two. That means there’s no chance for change. The other Republican in the race doesn’t have the ability to get into the top two, and so this is the only hope for California to get the change that we really need,” Hilton told The Fresno Bee prior to the forum.
Bianco dismissed polling showing his support slipping, in a post-forum interview with The Fresno Bee.
“The polls are fake, and if we’re going to sit and believe that polls are not are real, then we’re going to lose this election again,” Bianco said. “The Democrats are paying for these polls right now, it’s all Xavier Becerra that’s paying for these polls. They’re not real.”
Away from the eyes and ears of Central Valley supporters, Bianco criticized Hilton, calling him a “recent Republican” with no experience, and questioned his business acumen.
“He keeps saying he’s a businessman. Show us a business other than his business that raises money for Democrats. Show us a business. There isn’t one. He’s a career politician strategist in England that failed in England, so he came to America, and now he wants to save California. He’s got nothing in his past that shows he can,” Bianco said.
Hilton declined to respond, other than saying Bianco was “lashing out” because he was losing.
Major Fresno County GOP figures attend
Elected officials (or hopefuls), including Supervisor Garry Bredefeld, Sheriff John Zanoni, District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, former sheriff and supervisor candidate Margaret Mims, attended.
Nathan Magsig, supervisor and candidate for state Senate, emceed the event with Clovis City Councilmember Diane Pearce. The latter plans to run for the possibly-to-be-vacated supervisor seat if Magsig is successful in his Senate race. State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, moderated the discussion.
William Bourdeau from Harris Ranch, and Kulwant Sidhu from Prime Medical Transport LLC, from the business world, asked the candidates questions.
Nearly 500 people attended, dining on a menu themed on GOP presidential favorites. The meal included a sirloin steak in honor of Theodore Roosevelt; macaroni and cheese in honor of Thomas Jefferson (technically not a Republican); and chocolate cream pie and cherry vanilla ice cream in honor of Donald Trump.
This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 1:34 PM.