He’s tired of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s left-wing policies that he believes are ruining the state. On Monday, Presidents Day, Bianco announced his candidacy as the Republican candidate for California’s chief executive job and bid to replace Newsom. 

“I am running for Governor because our beautiful state – which I absolutely love – is heading down the wrong track and has been for years,” Bianco said in his announcement for office. “Everyone knows it, except those sitting in the Sacramento echo chamber. For decades, the party in complete control of our state government has tried the same failed ideas and implemented the same failed policies.”

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Bianco targeted many of California’s problems in his announcement, specifically mentioning how expensive it is to reside in the state, bureaucratic regulations, and high taxation. He also noted the state’s energy challenges and agricultural issues.

“Californians want leadership that actually cares about the cost of living… and leaders who will do something about it,” Bianco said. “We want homes we can afford. We want air conditioning when it’s hot, not rolling blackouts. We want water for the crops and animals that feed us. We want the opportunity to achieve the California Dream, not be prevented from it because of red tape and regulation from government. We want honesty and transparency from our elected officials. We want lower taxes and less government waste. We want sanity restored and common sense to prevail.”

Bianco has been in law enforcement for over thirty years and was elected sheriff in 2018. He has been outspoken on several political problems, frequently posting videos of his opinions on his Instagram account. The sheriff drew considerable attention in May 2024 when he announced his support for then-candidate Donald Trump with an Instagram video. Bianco also mentioned his frustration with California’s criminal justice system and criticized Newsom, whose policies he blamed for rising crime rates in the Golden State.

“For the past 30 years, I’ve been doing everything I could to keep our community safe by arresting criminals, and putting them in jail, and putting them in prison, keeping them out of our neighborhoods. For the last five years, I’ve been very critical of our governor for slashing budgets, for letting prisoners out early, for closing our prisons,” Bianco said. “This love affair that our governor and our state legislature have with criminals is based on the belief that criminals are not responsible for their own actions. They’re a victim of society, and really it’s our fault. It’s society’s fault, it’s businesses’ fault, it’s cop’s fault.” 

Bianco then mentioned the left-wing criminal justice ideologies that frequently claim law enforcement and the criminal justice systems are inherently and systemically discriminatory against racial minorities in the country. It’s a philosophy with which Bianco disagrees.

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“Law enforcement, if you listen to our governor, is systemically racist,” Bianco said. “If you listen to our legislature, our laws are systemically racist; our judicial system is systemically racist. All of these people being put in jail are because of law enforcement bias. So they let them out, they give them food, they give them money, they give them drugs and alcohol now, and I got to be honest, I’m getting tired, and I’m wondering if I’m having a change of heart and deciding that, you know that, maybe I’ve been wrong, and I think I’m gonna change teams.” 

He then declared his support for Trump. 

“I think it’s time we put a felon in the White House,” Bianco said facetiously. “Trump 2024, baby. Let’s save this country and make America great again.”