PLACERVILLE, Calif. (May 6, 2025) By Cris Alarcon, InEDC Writer.<\/p>\n
Two of El Dorado County\u2019s top law enforcement leaders say it\u2019s time for California to change direction\u2014and they\u2019re backing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to lead the way.<\/p>\n
District Attorney Vern Pierson and Sheriff Jeff Leikauf are publicly supporting Bianco\u2019s 2026 gubernatorial bid, citing widespread frustration with what they describe as failed progressive policies, unchecked crime, and Sacramento\u2019s chronic mismanagement.<\/p>\n
\u201cEl Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, Sheriff Jeff Leikauf and I think it\u2019s time California elects a law-and-order candidate like Sheriff Chad Bianco,\u201d said a local official involved in early discussions of the endorsement, echoing a growing sentiment among conservative leaders across rural counties.<\/p>\n
Bianco, who formally announced his candidacy in February, has positioned himself as a tough-on-crime alternative to the Democratic establishment. In a video posted to his campaign website, Bianco declared, \u201cEnough is enough,\u201d and promised to reverse California\u2019s sanctuary laws, strengthen penalties for fentanyl trafficking and theft, and reduce the state\u2019s regulatory and tax burdens.<\/p>\n
\u201cEl Dorado County is not alone,\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Pierson said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cAcross this state, we\u2019re seeing the consequences of soft-on-crime legislation that demoralizes law enforcement, emboldens criminals, and fails our communities. Chad Bianco has the experience and the resolve to turn things around.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Sheriff Leikauf agreed, saying the tide is turning in rural California, where families and business owners are tired of seeing rising crime and homelessness spill into foothill communities. \u201cWe need leadership that reflects the values of safety, accountability, and common sense,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bianco is currently the only major Republican to enter the 2026 race. While Democratic contenders like Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are expected to draw heavy support from urban centers, Bianco hopes to galvanize voters in places like El Dorado County that feel increasingly alienated from the state\u2019s progressive policies.<\/p>\n
Political analysts say Bianco’s law-and-order platform could energize Republican and independent voters, especially in counties that have resisted criminal justice reforms like Proposition 47, which reduced penalties for certain theft and drug offenses.<\/p>\n
As the 2026 race begins to take shape, El Dorado County\u2019s early endorsement may foreshadow a larger rural coalition ready to challenge the state\u2019s political status quo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
El Dorado County DA Vern Pierson & Sheriff Leikauf endorse Sheriff Chad Bianco for CA Governor. “It\u2019s time to fix what\u2019s broken.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"7","parallax":"1","layout":"no-sidebar-narrow","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"float","share_float_style":"share-normal","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_post_related":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"\u201cIt\u2019s Time,\u201d Say DA Vern Pierson and Sheriff Jeff Leikauf, Backing Law-and-Order Candidate Amid Statewide Discontent"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-crime","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
El Dorado County Leaders Back Chad Bianco for Governor in 2026 Law-and-Order Push - Placerville NewsWire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/inedc.com\/26\/news\/el-dorado-county-leaders-back-chad-bianco-for-governor-in-2026-law-and-order-push\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"El Dorado County Leaders Back Chad Bianco for Governor in 2026 Law-and-Order Push - Placerville NewsWire\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"El Dorado County DA Vern Pierson & Sheriff Leikauf endorse Sheriff Chad Bianco for CA Governor. 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