Who’s Running For Governor, and What Are Their Plans For The Inland Empire?
For the first time in many years, California's governor’s race is looking somewhat unpredictable. Democrats have held the governor's seat for over a decade, and California is widely recognized as one of the most Democratic states in the United States since 1992. However, recent polling shows a significant shift: Republican candidates leading the 2026 governors’ race, causing many voters to pay closer attention to the possible outcome. This unexpected shift has made the race more competitive and uncertain, especially for the residents of the Inland Empire, many of whom are eager to understand how each candidate plans to address key issues.
Recent polls over the last couple of weeks have shown that Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco are among the top candidates, alongside Democrat Katie Porter. Across polls from September through November 2025, Republican candidates consistently gained ground as Democrat Katie Porter lost early momentum. According to the earlier polling by Emerson College conducted September 15-16, Porter led with 16%, followed by Hilton at 10% and Bianco at 9%. The UC Berkeley poll conducted on November 7th showed Chad Bianco leading at 13%, and Porter dropping to 11% from 17%. In the most recent Emerson College poll from December 1-2, Bianco (13%), Hilton (12%), newly joined Democrat Eric Swalwell (12%), and Porter (11%) are all clustered at the top and 31% of voters still remain undecided. Newsweek stated that “any Democrat polling at 5% or below ahead of the March filing deadline should consider stepping aside.” The most recent polls mark a shift in the race, as earlier polls had Porter in the lead and Swalwell had not yet entered.
At the start of the race, Democrats maintained control, with Katie Porter being the early frontrunner, however things changed as late summer and fall approached. Porter began to face negative attention after allegations of domestic abuse and staff mistreatment during her time in Congress resurfaced, hurting her position. The Democratic field began to crowd, with Porter joined by four other Democratic candidates in mid-August. Under California’s top-two system, too many candidates splitting the Democratic vote can overall weaken the party's chances of succeeding. Meanwhile, the Republicans benefit by having two major candidates, which allows them to solidify their conservative support. Democrats risk losing control of a race they have become accustomed to winning should they not find a way to recover.
Chad Bianco
Chad Bianco
Chad Bianco began his law enforcement career in 1993 upon graduating from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Academy. He was elected Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner in 2018 and is now serving his second term. Bianco is a Republican who aligns himself closely with conservative causes and has expressed opposition to California’s COVID-19 mandates during the 2021 pandemic.
Bianco states that he wants families to feel safe and businesses to be protected from crime. His platform includes ending California’s sanctuary-state status. Additionally, he vows to work around state restrictions to assist federal immigration authorities. He outlines priorities such as reforming the criminal justice system, increasing penalties for violent offenders, and revising sanctuary policies. According to Valadez, these factors contribute to his current polling standing at 13%, compared with Democrat Porter’s 11% during late October.
Bianco is currently being sued by Victoria Flores, the former jail commander, of the Riverside Sheriff’s Department, on claims of wrongful termination, civil rights violations, and retaliation. The lawsuit comes after an ongoing investigation by the California Attorney General into the department's practices after the death of 19 detainees in 2022.
Katie Porter
Katie Porter
Katie Porter is a Harvard Law graduate and professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. Porter launched her first campaign and was elected to Congress in 2018 as part of the Democratic Party. With this election, Porter was able to flip a Republican seat in 2018. In September 2022, during her time in Congress, she supported legislation preventing insurance companies from denying care wrongfully and challenged price gouging in the pharmaceutical industry. Initially, Porter was an early frontrunner in the race, but dropped to 11% after allegations and controversies resurfaced.
Porter’s plan for the Inland Empire focuses on consumer protection, particularly in the healthcare sector. She aims to protect Medi-Cal and Medicare funding, which approximately 1.5 million Inland Empire residents rely on, while also addressing issues such as overcharging and corporate accountability.
Steve Hilton
Steve Hilton
Next, in fourth place in recent polling, is Steve Hilton. Born in the United Kingdom, he later became a U.S. citizen in 2021 and has lived in California since 2012. He was a Fox News host of “The Next Revolution” and a senior advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Hilton is now a visiting scholar at Stanford and a fellow at the Hoover Institution. Hilton registers at 6% in first-choice support and 12% when first and second choices are combined, making him the strongest for voters focused on taxes, crime, and immigration. Hilton's main focus is on reducing taxes, cutting regulations, and supporting small businesses. He also plans to help reduce housing costs, raise academic standards, protect parental rights, and support charter schools.
Hilton is known for his books, titled More Human: Designing a World Where People Come First, Positive Populism, and Califailure: Reversing the Ruin of America’s Worst-Run State. Additionally, he is also the Co-founder of Goodbusiness, a company that helps businesses develop sustainability strategies.
Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra
As of October 24th, Xavier Becerra is currently polling at 4%. He has built his support on a track record of defending healthcare rights, fighting fraud, and advocating for accessible and affordable healthcare. He is a first-generation college graduate who graduated from Stanford University with a J.D. and a degree in Economics. After starting his political career in the California State Assembly, Becerra served 12 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he fought against pharmaceutical overpricing, addressed Medicare and Medicaid fraud, and supported healthcare legislation. He was an original co-sponsor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.
As California's Attorney General from 2017 to 2021, Xavier prioritized defending working families, cutting red tape, and expanding access to healthcare. He continues to focus on programs that assist families in the Inland Empire and beyond with housing, daycare, college, and healthcare in his role as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Throughout his career, Becerra has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting economic opportunity and improving the well-being of all individuals.
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Additionally, Antonio Villaraigosa has been placed in the single digits at 5% in the December 2025 Emerson College Poll. Villaraigosa began his lengthy career in public service in the California State Assembly (1994–2000), where he held the positions of Speaker of the Assembly (1998–2000) and Majority Leader (1996–1998). In addition to serving as the 14th District representative on the Los Angeles City Council, he was the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles in over a century, highlighting his significant contribution to the city's leadership.
Antonio’s career is strongly focused on transportation, education, and environmental sustainability, and he continues to highlight these topics in his gubernatorial campaign. Villaraigosa intends to reduce expenses, improve access to healthcare, boost affordable housing, stabilise energy prices, and generate more employment in logistics and healthcare for the Inland Empire. He wants the IE to be a major focus of his 2026 campaign, emphasizing that working-class families in the area face particular challenges, such as high gas prices and limited access to healthcare.
Eric Swalwell
Eric Swalwell
Eric Swalwell has recently entered the California governor’s race, polling at 12% in the December 2025 Emerson College poll. This places him near the top of a crowded field alongside Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, and Democrat Katie Porter. Swalwell’s entry into the race has split support with Porter, making the primary even more unpredictable. He has served in Congress since 2013 and previously worked as a city councilmember and planning commissioner in Dublin, California. This allowed him to gain experience in both local and federal government. Although he is a Democrat, he has noted that both of his parents are Republicans, which has helped him understand voters from different political backgrounds.
Swalwell is known for his strong opposition to President Donald Trump and for serving as an impeachment manager during Trump’s second impeachment. However, he has also faced negative attention related to past reports that a Chinese intelligence operative interacted with him early in his political career. The issue continues to be raised by the opposing side even though there is no evidence of wrongdoing. Swalwell hopes to help the Inland Empire by lowering the cost of living, creating affordable housing, and jobs in logistics and clean energy. So far, Swalwell has not made any public comments on how he plans to help the Inland Empire. His campaign does focus broadly on lowering costs, affordability, and creating opportunities for all Californians without having a targeted plan for the IE region.
Why This Matters for the Inland Empire
Finally, the Inland Empire is one of the fastest-growing regions within California. However, it is also one of the areas hit hardest by economic inequality, high housing costs, long commutes, healthcare issues, and rising crime. Each candidate in the 2026 Governor’s race is offering a unique vision for addressing concerns and bringing their own spin to solutions in the Inland Empire. The best thing voters can do is learn about the candidates now, understand what they stand for, and what policies they plan to implement to help the IE. It is also essential to know how these plans will affect the daily lives of families across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This race will show that local communities, such as the Inland Empire can genuinely impact the choice of California’s next governor. By understanding and learning about each candidate's plans, voters can pick the individual whose ideas will help their families, neighborhoods, and future.