Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal cruised to victory Tuesday night in the primary for California’s 24th Congressional District.
Santa Barbara rancher and businessman Justin Fareed appeared to nab the second spot ahead of state Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian of San Luis Obispo.
Assuming the results hold up, Carbajal and Fareed will face-off in the general election on Nov. 8.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Carbajal, 51, led with 32.7 percent of the vote, with Fareed, 28, garnering 20.5 percent, and Achadjian, 64, with 18.9 percent — a 2,357 vote difference between second and third.
“I’m encouraged and hopeful,” Carbajal said.
“I’m grateful to the voters and residents of the Central Coast who put their trust in me. I am hoping in the next few months we continue the conversation we are having, and making sure I continue to be aware of the issues that are important to working, middle-class families. I am hopeful in the end of this campaign I will earn their trust and support again.”
California’s 24th congressional district covers Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and northern Ventura counties.
The candidates are seeking to replace Democrat Lois Capps, who is retiring after nearly two decades in the House of Representatives.
Polling behind the three was Democratic Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, with 14.4 percent.
All four candidates declared their intent to run in the immediate wake of Capps’ retirement announcement in April 2015, and intensified television and mail advertising in the weeks leading up to the primary.
Five other candidates from Morro Bay to Montecito sought the seat, but had struggled to attract the attention, fundraising, and endorsement lists that the better-known top four have amassed.
100% reporting Votes % Salud Carbajal 47,618 32.7% Justin Fareed 29,902 20.5% Katcho Achadjian 27,545 18.9% Helene Schneider 20,992 14.4%
Democratic San Luis Obispo rancher William Ostrander was running fifth with 5.5 percent, followed by Republican San Luis Obispo financial advisor Matt Kokkonen with 5.3 percent. Polling at 1 percent and below were independent Morro Bay statistician John Uebersax, Democratic Montecito design consultant Benjamin Lucas, and independent Atascadero engineer Steve Isakson.
Carbajal, a Democrat, has made strengthening assistance and resources to veterans, college students, immigrants, and retirees central themes to his campaign, and has invoked his past military service and his being the son of immigrants as crucial experience.
He received the endorsement of the state Democratic Party and accumulated a long list of endorsements from party figures, including Capps and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, as well as local organizations like the Sierra Club and Tri-Counties Building and Construction Trades Council.
The supervisor also led the race in fundraising, hauling in $1.9 million in 2016 through May 18, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Through May 18, he also had the most cash on-hand with $649,000, according to the data.
Fareed, a Republican who has never held elected office, has been touting his outsider status and has shaped his campaign around fixing Washington gridlock, shifting governing powers to local and state levels, and reigning in spending and regulations.
He had received endorsements from Santa Maria mayor Alice Patino and 4th-district County Supervisor Peter Adam and was the leading Republican fundraiser with $1.1 million raised 2016 to May 23, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Through May 18, Fareed had $448,000 on-hand, according to the data.
Achadjian, a Republican, has advocated for streamlining the tax code, scaling back regulations on businesses, and incentivizing balanced budgets, and has pointed out his experience as a legislator, San Luis Obispo County supervisor, and small-business owner.
Achadjian received the endorsement of every Republican in the state Assembly and Senate, alongside several law-enforcement organizations.
The assemblyman took in $788,000 in 2016 through May 18, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Through May 18, he had $173,000 on hand-hand.
— Noozhawk staff writer Sam Goldman can be reached at sgoldman@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
