California Republicans refused to endorse President Donald Trump's pick for governor Sunday in a "stark rebuke" from the party's rank-and-file in the nation's most populous state, Politico reported.
The activists' departure from Trump — choosing not to endorse despite the president's backing of former Fox News host Steve Hilton — reflected escalating GOP concerns about midterm prospects, particularly in critical California House battlegrounds.
Preceding the endorsement vote at Sunday's California GOP convention, concerns about the party's trajectory intensified. Rep. Darrell Issa acknowledged that "we may not hold the House in the midterms," while Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas stated: "If the election were today, it would be bumpy, because the left is angry. They hate Donald Trump."
California Republicans diverged from Trump's preference in the gubernatorial contest. More delegates supported Chad Bianco, a firebrand Southern California sheriff, than Hilton, though neither achieved the 60 percent threshold required for endorsement. Bianco secured 49 percent support, Hilton drew 44 percent, while remaining delegates voted against endorsement.
Political professionals anticipated this outcome. Bianco appeared positioned to secure the required 60 percent before Trump intervened — suggesting the president at least prevented party consensus. The Riverside County sheriff expressed confidence Friday about his delegate count.
"We think that the numbers are there," Bianco told Politico days after Trump's Hilton endorsement. "Steve knows he doesn't have it, and he's going to be doing everything he can to try and block it."
Trump's failure to elevate his preferred candidate among convention delegates — traditionally fervent partisans even in this heavily Democratic state — demonstrated his influence limitations.
Jon Fleischman, the state party's former executive director, said: "Both of these candidates have been going literally county by county by county, meeting delegates, talking to people longer than their voters. And while the president's had a lot of generic influence, when you've already met somebody, when you've shaken their hand, when you've gone through the process and have already endorsed them as an individual, nobody else's endorsement matters to you, not even the president."
Bianco similarly characterized his result positively, texting Politico: "This was a big win for us. I did not run for Governor for endorsements, I'm running for Governor for Californians."