SLO County voters reject far-right’s lies. That could end their minority hold on power

Election results aren’t yet final, but this much is abundantly clear: A multitude of San Luis Obispo County voters is fed up with the tyranny of the Board of Supervisors majority.

As of early Wednesday, three Democrats had substantial leads in their supervisor races.

If that trend holds — and granted, it’s a big “if” — it means far-right conservatives will no longer be in control of county government.

In District 3, Democratic Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg is so far ahead of her only opponent, Republican Stacy Korsgaden, that her victory is assured.

Jimmy Paulding appears headed to victory over incumbent Supervisor Lynn Compton in District 4.

And in District 2, incumbent Supervisor Bruce Gibson is leading with nearly 53% of the vote, and could be spared a November run-off.

As many had predicted, Gibson’s three conservative opponents — including two who wound up flinging mud at one another — split the remaining votes.

By not rallying behind a single strong candidate, Republicans shot themselves in the foot in that race.

Their overall campaign strategy in all three supervisor races — lean heavily on sliming the opponents with innuendos and outright lies, and don’t bother much with the real issues — didn’t work out so well, either, in spite of the hundreds of thousands of dollars poured into the campaigns.

And let’s not overlook what happened in the county clerk-recorder’s race.

Elaina Cano, who was appointed to the position after former Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong was bullied into resigning by far-right election deniers, has a commanding lead of nearly 50 points over her two unqualified opponents.

Those include the Republican-endorsed candidate, James Baugh, who went on the radio and denied that Joe Biden legitimately won the presidential election. He also questioned the way votes are handled by the county elections staff.

Cano’s victory isn’t just a personal win for her; it’s a strong and welcome vote of confidence in the way the county Clerk-Recorder’s Office conducts business.

The overall repudiation of conservative candidates is even more significant when you consider how the board majority — Supervisors Compton, John Peschong and Debbie Arnold — tried to rig the game board with the radical redistricting that preserved a Republican majority in three of the five districts, even though Democrats have more voters countywide.

We hesitate to use the term “silent majority,” but the outcome of this election is a reflection of the moderate views and values of most SLO County citizens who are often drowned out by the far-right, conspiracy-embracing bloc that regularly dominates public comment at Board of Supervisors meetings.

Time and again, the board majority has pandered to them and ignored the more moderate voices advocating for reasonable public policy.

We saw that with redistricting.

With the board majority’s insistence on setting campaign contribution limits at $25,000, rejecting the state default amount of $4,700.

With its opposition to sending vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters — a decision later reversed by state legislation.

With its unwillingness to enforce public health mandates, even at the height of the COVID pandemic.

With its refusal to allow residents of unincorporated areas to join Central Coast Community Energy.

With its slow response to the homelessness crisis.

And with its extreme reluctance to implement programs aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing. Just this week, the board repealed the inclusionary housing ordinance that raises revenue for nonprofit, affordable housing projects.

This board has rammed through its personal, often highly partisan, agenda, leaving many — maybe even most — residents feeling ignored and even shunned by the very people who are paid to represent them.

Keep in mind, the battle to be heard isn’t over yet; there is still a possibility that conservatives could retain their majority on the board. The likeliest scenario would be if the District 2 race goes to a runoff and conservatives unite behind Gibson’s opponent.

But whatever the final outcome, these results should serve as a wake-up call for politicians on both sides of the political aisle: Ignore San Luis Obispo County’s moderate majority at your peril.