With 2026 marking Santa Barbara County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino’s last year in the role, his chief of staff, Cory Bantilan, threw his hat into the ring to take the soon-to-be vacant 5th District seat, along with two others: Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera and Santa Maria-Bonita School District board member Ricardo Valencia. All three […]
5th District
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Maribel Aguilera leads campaign contributions in 5th District supervisor race
Without holding a single fundraiser, Maribel Aguilera’s campaign for Santa Barbara County 5th District supervisor has raised $98,000 as of mid-February. Local farms, restaurants, nonprofits, law firms, and private individuals were among the contributors who clicked the green “donate” button on the candidate’s website. Her campaign filings show she raised about $86,000 in 2025. She […]
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Three candidates vie for Santa Barbara County’s 5th District seat
The race to fill the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ 5th District seat in 2027 is on, as 2026 marks the end of longtime Supervisor Steve Lavagnino’s time on the dais. Lavagnino’s Chief of Staff Cory Bantilan is among the three candidates who have formally commenced their campaigns so far, along with Santa Maria-Bonita […]