I’m on the ground at the California Republican Party Convention, where one of the most important political fights of the year is about to unfold — and it’s not as straightforward as it may seem.
At the center of it all is the endorsement battle between Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. On paper, it’s a simple question: can either candidate reach the 60% threshold needed to secure the party’s official backing? In reality, conventions like this are anything but predictable.
Between proxy voting, shifting delegate turnout, and the mechanics of electronic balloting, what looks like one outcome on the floor can quickly turn into something very different once the votes are actually counted.
My early read, walking the convention floor, is that Bianco may have more visible support — but Hilton’s operation appears to be stronger where it counts in a process like this.
Bottom line: Hilton may not need to win — he just needs Bianco to lose.
In this video, I break down what I’m seeing in real time, what actually matters in this endorsement fight, and why the outcome today could shape the Republican primary heading into June.
