For the first time since 2018, there are two mayoral candidates for Guadalupe residents to choose between.
With four consecutive two-year terms in office behind him, Mayor Ariston Julian told the Sun this year’s election is his first facing an opponent.
Prior to his time as mayor, Julian served as a City Council member for a total of 18 years, on and off since 1980.
Julian’s opponent in November’s election—Councilmember Christina Hernandez—has shared the dais with him since 2022.
“I know that as a council we move forward together, but I’ve seen sometimes that the city runs primarily off the mayor,” Hernandez said about why she chose to run for mayor, rather than pursue reelection to her council seat.
Both her and outgoing Councilmember Eugene Costa Jr.’s current seats will change hands in 2027. With only two candidates running, newcomers Robert Diaz and Randy L. Altergott will each get a seat on the council.
Among her campaign priorities, Hernandez said she wants to strengthen transparency and communication efforts to encourage others to invest in Guadalupe, while also ramping up engagement with regional nonprofits, especially in support of youth and senior programs.
“I think a lot of business leaders, community leaders, and community residents feel left out,” Hernandez said. “I think everybody wants Guadalupe to succeed. Everybody has a soft spot for Guadalupe. … Everybody wants to play. … It’s just learning how we can get everyone to play together. That’s the difficult part.”
Hernandez said she highly respects Julian and his “seasoned leadership,” but wants to explore some “fresh ideas” if elected to become Guadalupe’s next mayor.
“I’ve worked for the state Legislature for the last three years. I know what leadership looks like. I know what conversations and relationships should look like—locally, county-, region-, and statewide,” said Hernandez, who works as a local representative of state Assemblymember Gregg Hart’s (D-Santa Barbara) office.
“I want to ensure that our community feels seen and welcome at the table,” Hernandez continued, “because I know what it looks like to have those doors closed. I know what it looks like to feel ignored because of the color of my skin. And the last thing that I would want, … is for someone to feel that they don’t belong.”
While Hernandez received an endorsement from the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party, the Santa Barbara County Republican Party did not endorse either of Guadalupe’s mayoral candidates.
An Air Force veteran and retiree with 38 years of experience in medical field administration, Mayor Julian told the Sun that if he wins his reelection campaign, he hopes Hernandez will run again in the future, once she has “more history behind her in terms of collaborations and connections.”
“I appreciate my opponent’s desire to be mayor, but, OK, what do you want to do? What is it that I’m doing wrong or that we’re doing wrong that needs to be improved?” Julian said. “With the staff that we have now, they’re going to go a long way. And with the plans that we have now, to get out from under this … $3.6 million deficit, …we’re going to do well.”
“Good or bad, you cannot take my experience away,” Julian continued. “I know the players and they know me, and they know our needs. I don’t hesitate to tell them what we need here in this community.”
This article appears in October 29 – November 5, 2026.
