• With about a month left to officially certify the June 2 primary election results, state and federal incumbents led the races to represent northern Santa Barbara County. In the 24th Congressional District, which covers Santa Barbara County and parts of Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties, longtime liberal U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal led with 54 percent of the votes as of June 8. Republican challenger Bob Smith trailed with about 38 percent of votes and will head to the run-off against Carbajal. Candidates Democrat Sarah Bacon (6.3 percent of votes) and Democratic Socialist Helena Pasquarella (1.9 percent) are out of the race. In the 37th state Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Gregg Hart led with 61.5 percent of the votes in Santa Barbara County and a southern portion of San Luis Obispo County. He will face off in November against his opponent, conservative Sari Domingues (38.5 percent of votes), who ran against him previously in 2024.
• Out of the dozens of candidates who ran to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in the June primary, the November governor’s race will likely be between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Becerra—a former state attorney general, congressman, and U.S. Health and Human Services secretary—pulled ahead of former British political operative and Fox News personality Hilton after initial vote counts showed Hilton in the lead. As of June 8, Secretary of State totals showed Becerra with more than 27 percent of votes, Hilton with almost 26 percent, billionaire progressive candidate Tom Steyer with 21.5 percent, and conservative Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco with about 10.6 percent. Former failed SLO County supervisor candidate and Grover Beach resident Stacy Korsgaden, who ran for state insurance commissioner, was in third place on June 8 with 16 percent of votes. She trailed Democrat Jane Kim (almost 26 percent) and Republican Ben Allen (almost 20 percent).
• On June 1, the CenCal Health board of directors passed an official resolution recognizing U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) for his leadership and advocacy on behalf of Medi-Cal beneficiaries, providers, and communities across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, according to a press release. “Your relationship with CenCal Health didn’t begin in Washington, D.C., but began here locally in 2005 as a member of our board of directors,” CenCal Health CEO Marina Owen told Carbajal during the presentation. “This resolution speaks to how long you have been advocating for health care access on the Central Coast.” The press release stated that Carbajal’s work has secured more than $50 million in federal funding for regional priorities that include health care. “Together, we’ll continue to fight and work to help those who are most vulnerable, those who need a hand up,” Carbajal said. “So that they too, and their families can live up to their potential and contribute to our country and live that American dream.”
• With the Legislature’s June 15 budget deadline looming, state lawmakers, immigrant rights advocates, health providers, and communities gathered in Oakland on June 5 to demand that Gov. Gavin Newsom deliver a state budget that protects the health, safety, and economic opportunity of all Californians, regardless of immigration status. Co-hosted by the California Immigrant Policy Center and the California Latino Legislative Caucus, speakers asked for the state to restore Medi-Cal access for immigrants, invest in immigration legal services, ensure that no Californian loses CalFresh food benefits, and pursue meaningful solutions to offset federal cuts under H.R. 1. “California made a promise: health care for all. We are here to make sure the victories we have won cross the finish line,” Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) said at the press conference.
This article appears in June 11 – June 18, 2026.
