Delegates meeting at the California Republican Party Spring Convention in San Diego failed to endorse a candidate for governor Sunday, despite a recent endorsement by President Donald Trump.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco received 49% of the vote, while Trump's pick, former Fox News Host Steve Hilton, got 44%.
The remaining delegates voted to not endorse either candidate. Sixty percent of the vote was needed to gain the California GOP Party's endorsement.
"The California Republican Party has an amazing candidate problem," Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin said in a statement.
She praised both Hilton and Bianco for being "outstanding candidates."
The three-day event, which began Friday, was held at the Sheraton San Diego Resort, with this year's theme of "Turning the tide, together."
More than 1,100 delegates from across the state attended dozens of professional training sessions on campaign strategy, election integrity, voter mobilization, artificial intelligence in politics and ballot-harvesting countermeasures.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was the keynote speaker Saturday night. He encouraged voter turnout in this year's midterms, saying, ``We can turn this around,'' in an apparent reference to the state's Democratic super-majority.
Cruz also took aim at California Gov. Gavin Newsom and embattled Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell, R-Dublin. Other speakers included U.S. Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Bonsall, Tom McClintock, R-Modesto, Jay Obernolte, R-Hesperia, several state senators and assembly members, Republican National Committee Co-Chair KC Crosbie, and former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
In a video posted on social media, Hilton showed off his new campaign T-shirt with Trump's endorsement.
"I would love every delegate here at the convention to focus on what we need to do, to leave this convention strong and united behind President Trump's leadership, behind my leadership," Hilton said.
Hilton said people are sick of Democrats and California's highest cost of living in the country, highest unemployment rate, and highest property tax rate.