Bianco’s Donor Base in the LA Media Market Could Signal a GOP Edge

Next June, two leading Republicans will be vying for a spot in the general election—most likely to face off against the top Democratic candidate. While California’s top-two primary system leaves open the possibility of a Democrat-vs.-Democrat general election, the size and composition of the current field make it more likely than not that a Republican will advance.

Which raises the question: who will it be?

As of today, the two clear frontrunners in the GOP field are Fox News commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

While the final outcome won’t be known until votes are counted in June, the donor patterns emerging from recent fundraising reports offer an early glimpse into each candidate’s strengths and potential vulnerabilities.

Overall Fundraising Picture

So far, Bianco has raised $1.64 million, compared to Hilton’s $1.55 million. Hilton’s total includes roughly $190,000 in self-funding—$100,000 in loans and around $90,000 in direct contributions to his campaign.

Bianco hasn’t just raised slightly more money—he’s done it with more than twice as many California donors, and at roughly half the average contribution size. That difference points to breadth rather than depth: Hilton’s campaign is powered by fewer, higher-dollar donors, while Bianco’s is built on a much wider base of smaller contributions.

In a primary, breadth can be more than a fundraising advantage. A larger small-dollar pool means more potential repeat contributions without hitting legal limits, more volunteers, and more word-of-mouth advocates embedded in communities across the state.

The LA Media Market Factor

The most striking feature of Bianco’s fundraising is its geographic concentration in the Los Angeles media market—which includes Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura, Imperial, and his home base of Riverside County. This region represents roughly 35–40% of California’s population, making it one of the most vote-rich areas in the state and the second-largest media market in the country.

Because Riverside is part of the LA DMA (Designated Market Area), local TV coverage of Bianco in Riverside is broadcast across the same major stations that reach all of LA County and the surrounding counties in the market. This means campaign events, public appearances, and even local news stories about him in Riverside are automatically visible to millions of voters outside his home county—giving him organic exposure in the most populous region of the state without paying for that reach.

The donor data suggests Bianco is capitalizing on that built-in exposure. He’s raised over $1.1 million from 1,527 unique donors within the LA media market, representing 84% of his California fundraising. By comparison, Hilton has 266 donors in the same region, accounting for just 28% of his in-state total.

Why It Matters

Political donors aren’t always a direct stand-in for voters—especially when totals are inflated by a few wealthy individuals. But Bianco’s fundraising is powered by a large network of relatively small-dollar contributors. That often requires elevated name recognition, since donors can’t give if they’ve never heard of you. And in many cases, a large number of small-dollar donors indicates you’re reaching far more people than just those who donate.

In the context of the LA media market, this is strategically significant. A candidate who already has meaningful recognition in this region starts the race with a major advantage: the heaviest—and most expensive—phase of building awareness in a massive population center may already be partly accomplished. That frees up resources to focus on growing support in other regions rather than fighting to get noticed at home.

Early donor breadth can also have a signaling effect. Media outlets take note of candidates with visible grassroots momentum, political insiders view them as more viable, and undecided voters often become more open to a candidate they see attracting widespread support.

Not Just His Sheriff Donor List

It might be tempting to assume Bianco’s donor base is simply a carryover from his prior sheriff campaigns. The data shows otherwise: of his 1,941 gubernatorial donors, 96.2% are new. That means he’s not just leaning on an existing list—he’s significantly expanded his reach. And because he’s largely untapped his old donor base for this race, there’s potential for additional contributions from that group later.

The Bottom Line

Chad Bianco’s early fundraising advantage isn’t just about having more donors—it’s about where they are. His dominance in the LA media market, fueled by a broad base of small-dollar contributors, suggests meaningful name recognition in one of California’s most vote-rich regions. If that donor footprint reflects actual voter awareness, Bianco may have already cleared one of the biggest hurdles in a statewide Republican campaign: establishing a strong foothold where the most voters are.

For a deeper look at the numbers behind this race and others, visit our complete campaign finance overview.