There are 2 congressional races in San Luis Obispo County. Here are our recommendations
Two well-known Central Coast congressmen — Salud Carbajal and Jimmy Panetta — are running for reelection, and for the first time, both are reaching out to San Luis Obispo County voters.
The county used to be in a single district, but the latest round of redistricting split it up. Panetta’s 19th District now stretches roughly from Santa Cruz to Atascadero, taking in most of our North County. The rest of the county remains in Carbajal’s 24th District.
The two Democrats face challenges from Republicans who have not held public office and, outside the Republican Party circle, are relatively unknown in San Luis Obispo County.
Dr. Brad Allen, a Santa Barbara pediatric heart surgeon, is challenging Carbajal.
Jeff Gorman, a Monterey County resident with a background in financial management, is running against Panetta.
The Republican candidates face extremely long odds; Democrats hold substantial majorities in both districts.
On top of that, Gorman just made the Washington Post’s list of 299 GOP election deniers who are running for Congress.
“Experts said the insistence on such claims, despite the lack of evidence, reflects a willingness among election-denying candidates to undermine democratic institutions when it benefits their side,” the Post wrote.
‘The Central Coast is spiraling downward’
Heading into the November general election, the two challengers are trying to persuade voters that career politicians like Carbajal and Panetta are transforming the Golden State into a hellhole.
Their campaign websites use strikingly similar language.
“The Central Coast is spiraling downward because career politicians have their eyes on ambition, versus taking care of our region,” Gorman warns.
Here’s Allen’s message: “Unfortunately, career politicians in Washington just keep worsening Californians’ daily lives in more ways than I can count.”
He lists some examples: Inflation. The war in Ukraine. Homelessness. Illegal immigration. Encroachments on the Second Amendment. Rising interest rates. Deficit spending. Ongoing “limits on our freedoms” due to COVID-19. Schools “more concerned about teaching even 1st and 2nd graders about gender instead of math or science.”
Some of these are conservative dog whistles.
Others are legitimate concerns we all share, but blaming them on “career politicians” like Carbajal and Panetta is absurd, especially when you consider what happened when the quintessential non-career politician — Donald Trump — was in charge.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy do we endorse?
Making endorsements during election season is an important role for newspaper editorial boards, including The Tribune Editorial Board. Elections are key to determining the future of our Central Coast region, and through endorsements, we share our opinion of the qualifications of the candidates and recommend those who would best serve our communities.
Due to the large number of races on the 2024 General Election ballot, we are unable to issue endorsements in every race. We chose to focus on the most competitive contests.
For more about our process, click the arrow on the top right.
Who endorses?
Endorsement decisions are made by Editor Joe Tarica and Opinion Editor Stephanie Finucane.
How do we decide?
Candidates are invited to participate in an interview with The Editorial Board where they are asked a series questions about major issues. It’s our opportunity to learn the candidates’ positions and to gauge how well informed they are about issues they are likely to confront if elected.
We also research voting records of candidates who have held public office; we watch candidate forums; we look at back stories from The Tribune, as well as other publications that have covered the candidates; and we examine public documents. We also take a look at the candidates’ advertising and campaign statements. Are they overpromising, for example, or misrepresenting their opponent’s record?
In the case of ballot measures, we study the background of the issue, the pro and con arguments and consider who is supporting and opposing the measure.
Tell us what you think
If you disagree (or agree) with our endorsements, share your thoughts with us by writing a letter to the editor (200-word maximum). Email your submissions to letters@thetribunenews.com. Due to the volume of submissions we receive during campaign season, we do not publish Viewpoint-length pieces (600-800 words) in support or opposition to candidates.
‘I’d like to see us go back to paper ballots’
Allen and Gorman are bright men with successful careers, and with so many Republican candidates dodging the media and skipping debates, we respect them for their willingness to meet with us.
But their positions on our election process are especially troubling.
Gorman, who is a party to the Election Integrity Party lawsuit, believes there are serious problems with our voting system.
“I would like to see us go back to precinct voting, paper ballots, pre-registration,” he said.
Allen told us he’s troubled by the number of people who don’t trust the 2020 election results.
“We need to fix the system so that everybody believes in it,” he said.
Here’s the thing: Some people will never believe in a system that delivers results they don’t want to hear. That’s not the fault of the ballots or the voting machines or the switch to vote-by-mail.
And it won’t help them believe when one party continues to foment distrust in our election system despite repeated convincing evidence that it’s secure.
It’s not the system that needs fixing, it’s the minds of those who refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of Biden’s victory.
Understanding the needs of the Central Coast
Carbajal and Panetta are hands-down the stronger candidates, especially for a liberal-leaning region like the Central Coast.
Both are in tune with San Luis Obispo County’s needs when it comes to housing, energy, water, economic development and climate change.
Panetta has been instrumental in helping with water and housing projects in his area.
“Traditionally, (housing) is a local issue, but it’s an all-hands-on-deck issue, especially in the 19th District,” he told the editorial board. “That’s why I’ve been very involved in ensuring that the federal government plays its part with grants and with tax credits.”
When it comes to water, “It’s going to be up to locals to figure out what projects they want,” he said. “You’re going to have the federal government to help them fund those projects.”
Carbajal has been a bulldog in opposing new offshore oil development, and in supporting wind turbines off the coast.
We’ve also been impressed with his knowledge of and responsiveness to day-to-day issues affecting families.
His website includes tips for dealing with inflation, including where to find the cheapest gas (one nit — there’s no listing for San Luis Obispo County) and how to get help with groceries and utilities. It also provides links to public transportation is each area of his district.
He’s sponsored bills to boost the availability of baby formula; to ensure federal firefighters with job-related disabilities receive the same benefits as state, county and municipal firefighters; and to protect immigrant parents whose children are serving in the U.S. military from deportation.
These are the types of issues that affect our quality of life, and Panetta and Carbajal understand that and act on it.
The Tribune strongly endorses Salud Carbajal and Jimmy Panetta for Congress.