(KMJ) The California Republican Party is declining to endorse a candidate in this year’s governor’s race between Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
Neither candidate reached the 60‑percent threshold needed for an endorsement during the party’s weekend convention in San Diego.
Bianco received 496 delegate votes, Hilton had 442, and 75 delegates chose no endorsement. Party leaders say it’s an “amazing candidate problem,” but for now, the GOP remains neutral in the race.
President Trump endorsed Hilton last week.
A poll from Evitarus released April 7 showed Hilton and Bianco in a tie for the lead among all candidates with 14%.
The top democrat candidate in the same poll was Rep. Eric Swalwell with 12%. Swalwell dropped out of the race Sunday after his campaign was rocked by multiple allegations of sexual assault and misappropriation of campaign funds.
While not backing a Gubernatorial candidate, the CA GOP did endorse former Huntington Beach DA Michael Gates for Attorney General.
“Rob Bonta’s record is one of failure, excuses and political ambition,” said Gates. “California cannot afford four more years of a weak, partisan Attorney General pretending to be the state’s top cop. I’m running to put handcuffs on criminals and fraudsters, not handslaps, and make this office work for the people again.”
