Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is planning to run for governor of the state of California in 2026, a source with the campaign confirmed to CBS News Los Angeles Wednesday.
Riverside County Sheriff Expected to Run for California Governor
Sheriff Chad Bianco is expected to make an official announcement on his coming run Monday. Current Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot run again.
by Staff
February 12, 2025
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is reportedly weighing a campaign for California governor.
Credit:
Screen Shot from Official Video
Bianco is expected to make an official announcement on his coming run Monday, according to the source. Last week, Attorney General Rob Bonta told Politico he won't be running for governor in 2026 while Kamala Harris brushed off speculation during a visit surveying the Palisades Fire site earlier this month, neither confirming nor refuting reports that she will run. Current Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot run again in 2026.
Bianco most recently spoke out against alleged rumors of ICE raids being carried out by deputies within the Riverside County Sheriff's Department — releasing a video in which he also criticized the California sanctuary state law. While confirming deputies were not making immigration-related arrests, he slammed the legislation, SB 54, calling it "dangerous" and vowing to "fight to reform" it.
The law, also known as the California Values Act, prohibits most cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, barring local police agencies from sharing information about the immigration status of detainees or arresting individuals solely on the basis of their status. Bianco said he would still try to cooperate with ICE in making removals from jails.
More Command
Sponsored•October 27, 2025
How One Police Department Cut Crime by 46% with Smarter Patrol Management
Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.
Read More →
Is Your Duty Holster Duty Rated?
The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.
Read More →
More IACP 2025 From the Show Floor
Watch expanded coverage of IACP 2025 as the POLICE Magazine team walks the aisles at the expo and shares what we found interesting on display for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →
IACP 2025 - From the Show Floor
Take a look inside the expo at IACP 2025 to see a sampling of what is displayed for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →
Pro-gard Expands Law Enforcement Vehicle Protection and Transport Solutions
Pro-gard has introduced HD Fender and Headlight Wraps for added front-end protection and a new P1300 Pro-Cell transport system for Ford F-150 and Super Duty models.
Read More →
COPS Teams With The Wounded Blue To Help Injured And Disabled Law Enforcement Officers And Their Families
Free officer-wellness training comes to Las Vegas Sept. 22–25: The Wounded Blue’s 5th Annual National Law Enforcement Survival Summit opens registration.
Read More →
Video: Officer Crawls Across Ladder to Rescue Family from Floodwaters
When floodwaters overturned a vehicle in rural New Mexico, Officer Walker Eby risked his life—crawling over raging currents on a ladder—to rescue a woman, her child, and their dog.
Read More →
Ahmedabad, India, to Host 2029 World Police & Fire Games
Birmingham, Alabama, hosted the 2025 World Police & Fire Games, and Ahmedabad, India, has been announced as the host city for 2029.
Read More →
Trump Calls Out National Guard to Address D.C. Crime
The memorandum says D.C. is a Federal city and violent crime “prevents Federal workers from safely performing their duties and prevents Americans from safely accessing their elected officials.”
Read More →