Four Republican and Independent CA Gubernatorial Candidates Unite on MAHA Priorities at Online Town Hall
- Elisa Ballard
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
April 20, 2026
An online MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) Town Hall held Monday afternoon, April 20, 2026, brought together four candidates seeking to lead California out of its chronic disease crisis. Hosted by Jeff Dornick on the Pickax platform, the nearly two-hour event featured leading Republican contenders Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, along with underdog candidates Leo Zacky (R) and Lewis Herms (No Party Preference).
All four candidates expressed strong agreement with core MAHA principles: restoring medical freedom, protecting parental rights, reforming school nutrition, reducing exposure to toxins such as pesticides, and supporting small farmers to rebuild California's food sovereignty.
Panelists posing questions included filmmaker Mikki Willis, virologist Dr. Judy Mikovits, actor and activist Rob Schneider, Dr. Joel Warsh, Zen Honeycutt (founder of Moms Across America), Dr. Michelle Perro (CEO of GMO Science), Dr. Brian Hooker (Chief Scientific Officer of Children's Health Defense), and Christina Hilderbrand (president of A Voice for Choice Advocacy).
Vaccine Mandates and Medical Freedom
A central topic was California’s strict school immunization laws. SB 277 (2015) eliminated personal belief and religious exemptions for required vaccines, leaving only medical exemptions. Subsequent legislation—SB 276 and SB 714 (2019)—standardized medical exemption forms and empowered the California Department of Public Health to review and revoke certain exemptions when school immunization rates fell below 95% or when physicians issued high numbers of exemptions annually. Critics argue these measures have made it significantly harder for parents to obtain non-medical exemptions or even valid medical ones in some cases. Candidates expressed strong opposition to state overreach on parental rights and medical freedom, calling for restoration of informed consent and limits on government mandates.
Sheriff Bianco stated he would declare a state of emergency as governor, citing evidence linking vaccines to rising rates of autism and neurological disorders. Leo Zacky pledged to appoint a new medical board focused on stopping forced vaccination and ensuring true informed consent. Lewis Herms emphasized that "mandates are not law" and called for widespread public education. Steve Hilton described the policies as "total tyranny," noting his early opposition to lockdowns nationwide. Hilton recalled being among the first to publicly challenge the 2020 lockdowns. In March 2020, he and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk presented arguments directly to then-President Trump. Hilton enlisted his Stanford colleague, epidemiologist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, to make the scientific case against prolonged restrictions. Hilton also asserted early on that Dr. Anthony Fauci's gain-of-function research contributed to the origins of the pandemic.
Lockdowns, COVID Policies, and Personal Stories
Bianco highlighted his early resistance as Riverside County Sheriff, refusing to enforce certain mandates and hiring deputies from other counties who declined COVID-19 vaccinations. Zacky shared a personal connection, noting a friend's son who developed autism after vaccination, and committed to auditing state policies and publicly releasing findings. Herms referenced his own short documentary, "The Big COVID Lie," from approximately five years ago, and stressed education as key to countering overreach.
Food, Pesticides, Chronic Disease, and Farming
Candidates linked California's surging chronic disease rates—in adults and neurological issues, including autism in children—to pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and processed foods. Bianco and his wife, Denise, adopted a whole foods/carnivore diet in 2002, which he credited with helping him overcome cancer.
California's role as a national food producer has declined from roughly 90% to about 60% due to mismanagement and over-regulation, according to Bianco. Hilton, who addressed food supply issues in a chapter of his 2016 book More Human: Designing a World Where People Come First, argued that California should lead the MAHA movement. He previously owned "The Good Cook" restaurant in London, which served only healthy foods.
Leo Zacky, whose family pioneered antibiotic-free chicken farming, called for ending artificial water shortages to help farmers reduce reliance on pesticides. He noted that contamination spreads through soil and water, while farmers struggle with high energy, labor, and insurance costs. Herms said he generally opposes government subsidies but would make an exception for farmers transitioning to pesticide- and chemical-free production.
Discussion turned to school meals and AB 1264, which phases in restrictions on processed foods through 2035. All candidates criticized the slow timeline as evidence of Sacramento corruption. Hilton advocated connecting schools directly with local farms. Herms called the delay a "political payoff" at the expense of children's health. Zacky acknowledged poor-quality school food while contrasting it with higher-grade produce requirements for prisons.
Glyphosate and Alternatives
Candidates expressed disappointment with President Trump's executive order exempting glyphosate (a widely used herbicide and known carcinogen formerly owned by Monsanto, now part of Bayer). Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly warned that an immediate total ban could collapse the food supply. Hilton urged caution, warning that overly rapid restrictions without viable alternatives could drive California farms out of business in favor of cheaper foreign imports. Herms and Zacky stressed glyphosate's health risks and Bayer's pharmaceutical interests in treating resulting illnesses.
Herms also highlighted non-pharmaceutical approaches for healing, such as frequency/PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) and glutathione support for mitochondrial function, noting that most doctors receive little training in these areas.
Unified Call for Change
The candidates aligned on the need to prioritize informed consent, medical freedom, toxin reduction, and support for California's farms and regenerative agriculture. They warned that unchecked chronic disease is driving medical spending to unsustainable levels and called for bold action to reverse California's declining public health.
The town hall demonstrated broad consensus among these contenders on MAHA fundamentals, offering voters clear contrasts in experience and approach ahead of the June 2026 primary. All emphasized education and common-sense reforms to empower families and rebuild a healthier California.
To view the podcast, go to:
For full details, watch the complete event on Rumble. Shasta Unfiltered will continue covering the 2026 gubernatorial race and health freedom issues.
