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Better know a CA gubernatorial candidate: Sharifah Hardie
Sharifah Hardie, image via Sharifah Hardie for Governor. In the fourth installment of our ongoing look at candidates to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom when he terms out next year, we look at Republican candidate Sharifah Hardie.
Sharifah Hardie, an African American woman running for governor as a Republican, wears many hats. Business consultant. Talk show host. Serial Entrepreneur. Author. Community leader.
It makes you wonder what her title will say on the ballot.
Essentially unknown to the Capitol community in Sacramento, Hardie is the editor in chief of the Long Beach Black News, chief marketing officer of the Long Beach Chapter of the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce and the host of the Ask Sharifah Videocast & Podcast.
Previously, she also hosted The Round Table Talk Show, facilitating discussion on business, politics and social issues, and worked as a consultant and director of marketing for Punch TV Studios. She built her first website in 1994.
Hardie has twice run for political office and lost: first for Long Beach City Council in 2020, then for State Senate District 33 in 2024.
She was born in Washington, D.C., raised in south-central Los Angeles and currently calls Long Beach her home.
What’s going for her: She’s an African American woman. In the era of identity politics, that could help her, although there’s a more prominent African American candidate in the field, Tony Thurmond, the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is a Democrat.
Hardie, however, represents something of a departure from previous GOP candidates for governor, and it’s not like any of them have had any success in nearly 20 years. She could offer a fresh face and fresh perspective for a party that’s struggling to make noise in the governor’s race. Her platform is centered on job creation, and she has recently attempted to draw a particular contrast between herself and GOP candidate and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
“They’ve already picked their guy — the Sheriff,” Hardie said in a recent press release. “But Californians need to ask themselves: What happens when you put someone in charge who’s spent decades locking people up? Everyone’s going to jail. We need jobs, not jails. We need opportunity, not oppression.”
What’s going against her: She’s an unknown, but still a two-time loser. That’s not a good combination. Her online footprint also projects more as a content marketer than as a serious political candidate, giving the impression at least that this candidacy may be more about publicity.
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Thank you to Capital Weekly for taking the time to share my story and bring attention to my campaign. While I appreciate the positive coverage, I want to address the point about being called a “two-time loser” and being seen as more of a content marketer than a serious candidate. I don’t view myself as a loser. I see myself as someone who never quits and never gives up. Every leader who is committed to real change faces setbacks and obstacles along the way, but I believe true success comes from persistence, resilience, and the willingness to keep going until you achieve your goals.
Politics isn’t just about winning the first or second time you run. It’s a journey of growth, learning, and understanding how to truly make a difference for the people you want to serve. I am learning my industry, building relationships, and gaining the experience needed to become an even stronger advocate for Californians. My background as a business leader and content creator is not about self-promotion—it’s about using my platform to help other people and support businesses, especially in a time when so many are struggling or leaving our state.
This campaign isn’t about publicity; it’s about being out in the community, working alongside real people, and creating solutions that help businesses thrive and families stay in California. I’m committed to being in the trenches with the people I serve, and I will continue to move forward—no matter how many times I have to get back up—because that’s what California needs right now: leaders who don’t give up, who keep fighting, and who never lose sight of the bigger picture. I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight, and I look forward to continuing this important conversation with voters across the state.