FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Riverside County Sheriff and Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco is making a final push across California, pitching himself as a political outsider.
In an exclusive one-on-one interview with FOX26 anchor Madison Macay during a Fresno campaign stop Friday, Sheriff Bianco said Californians are increasingly frustrated with the state’s high cost of living, ongoing water issues, and what he called a “government-created” water crisis after years of Democratic leadership.
Water and Valley Agriculture
Bianco says California’s water crisis is not caused by weather, but by state government.
We’re not in a drought. We’ve never been in a drought,
Bianco said.
“All of our water, every single year, 70% of it is forced out to the ocean.”
Bianco said farmers in the Central Valley are being hurt by state regulations, environmental restrictions and a lack of water storage.
“This is government caused,” Bianco said. “This is a purposeful mismanage of water.”
Bianco said if elected governor, he would work to remove regulations he believes prevent the state from building more dams, storing stormwater and replenishing groundwater.
He also claimed every farmer in California would get “100% of the water that they need” under his administration.
Cost of Living and Regulations
Bianco said California’s rising cost of living is largely driven by government regulations, taxes, and energy policies. During the interview, he repeatedly argued that state leaders have made California “too expensive” for families and businesses.
We shouldn’t be punished for living in California.
He added:
We shouldn’t be punished for opening a business.
Bianco explained if he were to be elected governor, he would work to remove regulations tied to oil production, agriculture, housing and development. He also claimed Californians would no longer pay a state income tax under his administration.
The Republican candidate said he wants California to become more energy independent and argued the state should rely more heavily on its own oil production and natural resources.
“We are going to have the cheapest gas, or if not the cheapest gas, in the entire country once we’re oil independent,” Bianco said.
Bianco also claimed California is losing residents because of taxes and regulations.
“None of us want to leave California,” Bianco said. “We feel like we’re pressured out.”
Energy and the California Air Resources Board
Bianco sharply criticized California energy regulators and environmental agencies during the interview, including the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Air Resources Board, commonly known as CARB.
He accused state leaders of prioritizing regulations over affordability and grid reliability while Californians continue facing high utility bills and gas prices.
“The only thing the CPUC is doing is making sure utilities make record profits,” Bianco said.
When asked about CARB following renewed tensions this week between Chevron and California regulators over refinery rules and gas prices, Bianco said.
“We’ll never say CARB again.”
He clarified,
“CARB will no longer exist.”
Bianco also said he would seek to dismantle the California Coastal Commission and CEQA-related regulations, arguing the agencies have slowed growth and increased the cost of living in California.
High-Speed Rail
Bianco also took aim at California’s high-speed rail project, calling it a “government taxpayer boondoggle.”
He questioned whether the project would ever be completed and criticized the growing cost estimates tied to the rail system.
“There is absolutely no responsible person that believes this project is being managed responsibly,” Bianco explained.
Bianco argued the state has spent billions on a project he believes many Californians will never use.
Immigration and Farm Labor
The interview also touched on immigration, and the Central Valley’s dependence on immigrant farm labor.
Bianco said California needs more legal workers to support agriculture, but argued immigration enforcement is ultimately controlled by the federal government.
“We need to fix the immigration system,” Bianco said. “We need to have more people that are coming here to work.”
Bianco also defended ending California’s sanctuary state policies, saying violent offenders in the country illegally should be turned over to federal immigration authorities.
At one point during the interview, Bianco pushed back on questions surrounding a governor’s role in immigration policy.
“Stop talking about the governor and immigration, because the governor can do absolutely nothing,” Bianco said.
The interview came as Bianco visited Fresnoo ahead of a GOP gubernatorial forum in Clovis. During the interview, he also discussed immigration, gas prices, state regulations and California’s high cost of living.
You can watch the full interview on the KMPH YouTube channel.