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Hollywood star endorses Republican for California governor after ‘devastating’ Newsom admin
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EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood icon Lorenzo Lamas is endorsing a pro-law enforcement Republican for California governor after he says that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has had a “devastating” impact on the state.
Lamas, who is best known for his action roles in the 80’s and 90’s, told Fox News Digital he is endorsing Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco for governor, saying, “The impact on the state of California with the current [Newsom] administration is nothing short of devastating.”
Lamas said that “over the years I’ve been very careful about voicing an opinion politically,” noting that “sometimes it can affect who you work for, depending on a company’s or studio’s political point of view.”
“But I think we’re at a point now, not just in California, but I think nationwide, that we have to start at least voicing what we feel is wrong with what’s happening,” he explained.
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Riverside Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco (left) received an endorsement from Hollywood star Lorenzo Lamas (right) for California governor. (Gilbert Flores via Getty; Chad Bianco campaign)
Lamas said he was motivated to finally speak out after long watching his home state be mismanaged despite its enormous economy and abundant natural resources. He described the Democratic Party’s grip on California as “a sickness that’s permeated the state from the top to the bottom.”
“We have to figure out what we’re going to do with the people that are disenfranchised and living on the streets, the programs that supposedly are budgeted for these folks, where is that money? … There’s nobody that’s accounting for the millions of dollars that are spent on welfare programs that’s not benefiting anybody that can use it,” he said.
Regarding the several devastating natural disasters the state has experienced in recent years, Lamas said, “I grew up in Pacific Palisades, that fire devastated my hometown. The home I grew up in burned down. My elementary school burned down. Why? Because not enough budget was allocated to resources to fight the fire.”
“Not only that, the people that lost their homes in the Palisades. Many of them were second, third generation people. They cannot afford to rebuild in the city that they grew up in, the city that they came to love. Why? Well, because, hey, guess what? It takes years to get rebuilding plans approved. There’s just so much red tape, so much bureaucracy, and Chad wants to just eliminate it.”
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The aftermath of fire in Pacific Palisades and along Pacific Coast Highway. (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images))
“I’ve watched the wealthiest state in the nation become completely mismanaged by the current administration,” he went on. “It’s just it’s beyond the pale what’s happened to my state.”
Meanwhile, Lamas said that he believes Bianco, who has framed his candidacy around cost of living and public safety issues, “is the man that can really turn this thing around.”
“We’ve got to have a governor that’s pro-law enforcement, that’s going to keep our moms and our daughters safe on the streets,” he said, explaining, “I have two daughters that live in Los Angeles, and there I tell them, every single day [that] their heads got to be on a swivel. You see all the crime that’s rampant, not just in California, but all around the country. It’s permeating this beautiful nation of ours, and it really makes me sick.”
Bianco is facing a steep uphill battle to win as a Republican in deep blue California. It has been nearly two decades since a Republican won a statewide race. On the Democratic side of the aisle, California Rep. Eric Swalwell and former Rep. Katie Porter, both progressives and vocal critics of President Donald Trump, are running to replace Newsom, who is term-limited.
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Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on May 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
On whether he believes California is ready to send a Republican to the governor’s mansion, Lamas answered, “What I see in Chad is a tremendous gift of being able to present his agenda with a commonsense foundation, and that’s going to appeal to anybody with half of a brain.”
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“Last November 6th, America voted for commonsense. And I think it’s time that California votes for commonsense, and the only person that I really feel can bring that to our state is Chad Bianco.”
A spokesperson for Newsom brushed off Lamas’ criticism, sending Fox News Digital a one-word response, simply asking, “Who?”
Bianco has also been endorsed by UFC legends Royce Gracie and Dan Henderson.
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One of San Francisco’s busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
All eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 just before the Bay Bridge are closed as crews work around the clock to rehabilitate the roadway. The 55-hour shutdown, which began on Friday night, is scheduled to last until Monday morning in time for the commute.
The closure has forced drivers onto detour routes, leading to heavy congestion for those trying to reach the East Bay, including Oakland and Berkeley.
The impact is being felt beyond the roadways.
At MoMo’s, a restaurant across from Oracle Park, staff found business noticeably slower.
“A little bit more mellow than usual. We usually see a little bit more foot traffic, a little bit more people on Saturdays,” said Daniel Bermudez, executive chef at MoMo’s.
Bermudez believes the freeway closure may be discouraging visitors from coming into the city this weekend, despite favorable weather.
“The weather is beautiful today. It’s nice and sunny. So we have plenty of tables outside,” he said.
With the San Francisco Giants playing an away game, the restaurant had hoped fans would still gather to watch, but turnout during game time remained light.
“This is kind of like our off-season Saturday. A lot slower than our baseball weekend,” said Casandra Alarcon, general manager at MoMo’s.
Other small businesses in the Mission Bay and South of Market neighborhoods reported similar trends, saying most of their customers are regulars who live nearby rather than visitors.
“A little bit slower for sure. Before, we had tourists come and walk to the baseball park,” said Ajaree Safron, manager at Brickhouse Cafe & Bar.
Caltrans has shut down eastbound lanes between 17th and 4th streets to repave the 71-year-old roadway. The goal is to extend the life of the Bayshore Freeway by another decade.
City and transportation officials said the timing of the closure was intentional, noting fewer major events scheduled in San Francisco this weekend, aside from the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Westbound lanes remain open, and officials said traffic heading into San Francisco from the East Bay has not been significantly affected.
“Getting into the city, it wasn’t too bad. Regular [traffic], what we expect on a Saturday morning,” said visitor Andrea Inouye.
While the closure has posed challenges for businesses, some workers said they are taking it in stride.
“Hopefully, it’s not for too long and we get past it, and get back to our normal routine,” Bermudez said.
Despite early concerns about widespread gridlock, transportation officials said the region has avoided the worst-case scenario. Traffic remains heavy in areas near detours, but the anticipated “carmageddon” has not materialized, in part because many drivers chose to avoid the area or take public transit.
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Thanks to Carrie Brown for the westward view of our Saturday night sunset. The high today hit 68 at the airport – eight degrees above normal – but nowhere near the record for this date, which was 89 degrees back in 2016. The forecast suggests two more days of partly sunny, almost-70-degree weather, before the chance of rain returns.
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