California Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco said the Second Amendment plays a central role in deterring crime, arguing that armed law-abiding citizens reduce criminal behavior through deterrence.
“The Second Amendment is the greatest crime reduction law in American history,” Bianco wrote on social media this week. “When bad guys fear good guys, bad guys do less bad guy things.”
The 2nd amendment is the greatest crime reduction law in American history.
— Sheriff Chad Bianco (@ChadBianco) February 17, 2026
When bad guys fear good guys, bad guys do less bad guy things.
Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, has made public safety and gun rights core themes of his campaign to succeed Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who is barred from seeking another term because of term limits.
The comments came as Bianco’s law-and-order message has gained traction among Republican officials and activists, who point to early polling showing a competitive race in California’s open governor contest. After the sheriff’s gun-rights remarks, former Riverton, Utah mayor Trent Staggs, a Trump-appointed regional advocate at the Small Business Administration, said Governor Gavin Newsom had become a liability for Democrats.
“Newsom is so bad he’s turning California red,” Staggs wrote on social media, reacting to a poll shared by Bianco that showed a Republican candidate narrowly leading in a crowded primary field.
Newsom is so bad he's turning California red. https://t.co/TVdmdZtp9q
— Trent Staggs (@MayorStaggs) February 18, 2026
The survey, circulated by Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra’s campaign, said the contest remains fluid, with a large share of undecided voters and no clear front-runner. Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party.
Bianco has campaigned on crime, taxes and immigration, proposing measures that include ending property taxes for homeowners who have paid off their homes or reached age 65. In online videos, he has argued that people should not be “forced to pay the government to live” in their own homes, framing the policy as a way to help retirees remain housed.
@chadbianco Replying to @ruby2024 ♬ original sound – Sheriff Bianco
The governor’s race has become a focal point for broader debate over Democratic leadership in the state, where affordability, homelessness and crime continue to dominate voter concerns. Newsom has defended his record on climate policy, economic growth and social programs, while Republicans argue that years of one-party control have contributed to rising costs and public safety challenges.
Recent polling points to a fragmented electorate, with several well-funded candidates competing for support and no dominant leader emerging. With months remaining before the primary, both parties are preparing for an expensive and closely watched campaign that could test whether dissatisfaction with state leadership translates into measurable political change.
