California GOP Snubs Trump’s Pick: Bianco Leads but No Endorsement at State Convention

SAN DIEGO — California Republican delegates on Sunday declined to endorse former President Donald Trump’s preferred candidate for governor, delivering a clear rebuke from the party’s grassroots. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco won the most support with 49 percent, while former Fox News host Steve Hilton drew 44 percent; neither candidate reached the 60 percent threshold required for an official party endorsement.

How the Vote Unfolded

The endorsement fight exposed both local loyalties and limits to national influence. Bianco had been widely viewed as close to the 60 percent mark before Trump publicly backed Hilton, a move that ultimately helped prevent either candidate from securing the party’s formal blessing. Delegates repeatedly emphasized personal relationships and in-person campaigning as key factors in their decisions.

Voices From the Convention

Rep. Darrell Issa: We may not hold the House in the midterms.

Sen. Ted Cruz: If the election were today, it would be bumpy, because the left is angry. They hate Donald Trump.

Jon Fleischman, the state party’s former executive director, said local engagement mattered most: when delegates had met a candidate and vetted them personally, outside endorsements—even from the president—carried less weight.

Hilton’s campaign framed the result as a moral victory, citing Trump’s endorsement and criticizing Bianco’s failure to clinch the party endorsement despite a strong Southern California operation. A Hilton spokesperson said Bianco "couldn’t even get 50% of the vote, much less the 60% needed to get the endorsement."

Convention Atmosphere and Broader Concerns

On the convention floor, activists in MAGA attire and "Bianco for Governor" signs stressed long-standing personal ties to the sheriff. Still, many attendees voiced anxiety about the GOP’s midterm prospects amid national headwinds: an unpopular war in Iran, rising gas prices and a national approval rating for Trump hovering near 40 percent.

Speakers framed the stakes plainly. Issa, who is retiring from Congress, warned that keeping control of the House would require voters to "get past Trump derangement," acknowledging both the former president’s strength and the liability he poses. Rep. Tom McClintock expressed cautious optimism, saying he expects base enthusiasm to pick up by summer as economic conditions evolve.

What It Means

The lack of an endorsement leaves the California GOP without a unified front heading into the governor’s race and underscores divisions between local activists and national influencers. For Trump, the result highlights limits to his sway among the party’s most engaged volunteers in a deeply Democratic state. For Republicans, it raises questions about turnout, messaging and how best to marshal resources in key House battlegrounds across California.

Results: Chad Bianco 49% | Steve Hilton 44% | No Endorsement (threshold 60%)