California Republicans happy with Swalwell’s scandal, but divided on the GOP’s best candidate for governor

SAN DIEGO – While their spring convention was held under sunny San Diego skies, delegates and leaders of the California Republican party were in a different mood over the weekend as the Democratic gubernatorial campaign was rocked by allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.

The party did not nominate a candidate for governor on Sunday because none of the top Republicans — Sheriff County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton — received the support of 60 percent of delegates. Bianco got 49% and Hilton got 44%; 7% of delegates voted not to support the race.

“We are very happy,” said Bianco after the vote. “We got the popular vote here, right? Ultimately, our goal is to win California, and win California with the popular vote … Californians want a leader. Californians want integrity. Californians want honesty. And they want someone they know will take care of them, work for them, and that’s why I won this vote.”

Hilton also said he was happy with his show.

“Chad went into this meeting thinking he had it in the bag,” said Hilton. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress this week and I think President Trump’s endorsement is going to decide the primary.”

The meeting was held as a member of the staff of the Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) accused him of forcing himself twice when he was too drunk to consent, according to reports published by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. Three other women also accused Swalwell of misconduct including sending and soliciting lewd pictures and messages.

Swalwell has not withdrawn from the race, but within hours of the allegations, top supporters withdrew from the East Bay Area convention, including Sen. Adam Schiff, campaign co-chairs for Reps.

The collapse of Swalwell’s campaign has brought a major boost to leaders and hundreds of staunch members of the state’s Republican Party, which dominates the state Legislature and holds no statewide elected office. The news broke Friday, during a party gathering at the port-side Sheraton San Diego Resort and hours before the Artemis II crew disembarked on a nearby beach.

Sean Spicer, who served as press secretary during President Trump’s first term while promoting a new book, joked during a dinner panel Saturday about arriving in San Diego just in time to see “the fall.”

“Sorry, I was talking about Swalwell,” he said with a laugh. “It was also nice to see Artemis back down.”

Republicans haven’t won a state election since 2006 and some hoped Swalwell’s controversy would sway voters already frustrated by the cost of living to consider supporting GOP candidates this year.

“Clearly, the people of California, in particular, are looking for alternatives that work. They are looking to the California Republican Party,” Chairman Corrin Rankin told the media.

Republican incumbent Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom shared similar sentiments during a five-minute speech at a candidate forum Saturday afternoon.

“We gather here today, full of energy and hope and hope, we have a spring in our step on this beautiful spring day. Why? Because every party has its season, and the California Democrats, the leaves are coming off the trees,” Hilton told the guests.

Hilton, who served as a top political adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, said 16 years of Democratic rule had led to inefficiency, chaos and scandal that had scared voters in the blue constituency even before the Swalwell scandal.

“And now, it’s been a few hours, so I think we’ve got to fire another Eric Swalwell,” he said.

Hilton praised Trump’s endorsement, describing it as “a great asset to us, power, resources, a precious gift of momentum that makes a big difference in the turnout over the course of the year.”

Bianco emphasized his decades of legal service in the state, which is one of his main selling points to Californians concerned about the liberal criminal justice policies of the previous Democratic administration.

“I have spent every day working for the citizens of California, making our lives better and safer. I have fought for you, and I have bled for you,” Bianco said.

Bianco denied Hilton’s allegations that he was arresting undocumented immigrants, sympathized with Black Lives Matter protesters and threatened to punish county residents if they did not follow masked orders during the violence. He said he was the first law enforcement officer in the country to defy the order to close the door after the disease. Bianco said that while he prayed with protesters after the death of George Floyd, he also “forcefully expelled” “rioters and domestic terrorists” from his district.

Bianco also spoke candidly about Hilton’s alleged attack on the sheriff on the campaign trail.

“This was never supposed to be about a dishonest smear campaign and bullshit,” Bianco said, referring to Hilton’s campaign mailer that depicted Bianco’s head with circles circling like a shooting target.

As Bianco walked past the convention hotel on the sidelines behind the stadium, he was mobbed by fans chanting his name.

On Saturday night, Bianco threw a western saloon-themed party for the delegates. Attendees dressed in cowboy hats danced, stroked pure white calves and posed for photos in front of an inflatable cactus.

The panel hosted by Hilton had the feel of a candidate forum as he and fellow Republicans running for other statewide offices gave alternate speeches, often punctuated by booing guests chatting in the back of the room.

Under California’s primary system, the top two candidates advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Hilton and Bianco have been leading the polls for weeks while eight prominent Democrats, including Swalwell, have split the support of liberal voters, raising concerns among Democrats that the party could be shut out of the November election.

The chances of that happening have diminished with Swalwell’s fall from grace and Trump’s endorsement of Hilton, political experts say, but those in California’s hard-line politics are celebrating the apparent fall of the once-powerful Democrat.

“Swalwell is in denial right now, but when he realizes that he has no friends left and his campaign team is leaving him, people are laughing at him in the restaurant, I think, and I hope for his sake, he has enough self-awareness to go quietly to the south coast of France and put on a wig,” said Republican National Committeeman Shawn Steel.

One of the famous speakers of the meeting, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took a shot at other California Democrats during a Saturday evening dinner, describing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as the “Democrats’ national ambassador for disaster management” and Newsom as a contender for “Texas Realtor of the year, because no one in human history has sold more homes in Texas.”

“Look, as a Texan, I have to say, it’s not fair. [You have] an economy that has been a formidable engine that has driven America forward for decades, yet it was cursed by stupid politicians,” said Cruz.

While Hilton’s and Bianco’s campaigns didn’t end with their records, the candidates largely avoided confrontation until a debate earlier this month in Rancho Mirage. The two GOP candidates clashed over issues such as immigration, their credentials and their credibility.

The delegates of the meeting also did not keep the records of Bianco and Hilton in the meeting halls.

Shiva Bagheri, Bianco’s supporter from Beverly Hills, said Hilton’s political positions are unconstitutional.

“Steve said anyone making less than $100,000 shouldn’t have to pay [income] taxes,” said Bagheri, 52. “That’s against the 14th amendment. I am a person who respects the constitution.” He said he prefers Bianco’s plan to cut income taxes so everyone can avoid class warfare.

Celeste Greig, a supporter of Hilton from Northridge, initially supported Bianco and donated to his campaign. But he became concerned after hearing Bianco’s comments about immigration, seeing photos of the sheriff kneeling next to BLM protesters and reading about what he believed was an illegal arrest of a man outside President Trump’s 2024 rally in the Coachella Valley.

Some Republicans longed for a return to the past when state lawmakers always worked on the sidewalk. State Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) described working with Democratic Alliance Sen. Alex Padilla when they served in the Legislature, adding that he still considers Padilla, now in the highest office of the US, his friend.

“We’re in a divided era right now,” Strickland said. “If we actually pick up a few seats, I think it will give more comfort to some of those moderate Democrats to come and work with us.”