Only a little more than a week after officially announcing his candidacy for the 35th Assembly District, Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams announced Wednesday that he has received a number of early endorsements from local elected leaders, including:

» Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal

» Santa Barbara County Supervisor Doreen Farr

» Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum

» Santa Barbara City Councilman Roger Horton

» Santa Barbara City Councilman Grant House

» Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Helene Schneider

» Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett

» Former Ventura County Supervisor Susan Lacey

» Ventura City Councilman Brian Brennan

» Carpinteria City Councilwoman Kathleen Reddington

» Carpinteria City Vice Mayor Al Clark

» Goleta City Councilman Ed Easton

» Goleta City Councilman Michael Bennett

» Goleta City Councilwoman Margaret Connell

» Oxnard Mayor Pro Tem Andres Herrera

Supporters cited Williams’ history of experience on a variety of key issues such as education, protecting the environment and balancing city budgets, as well as his deep roots in the district and his track record for leadership.

“I am endorsing Das Williams for Assembly because he will be this community’s strongest and most effective advocate in our state’s Capitol,” Blum said. “As somebody who has worked with Das on many key issues affecting our region — from balancing city budgets to protecting the environment, from public safety to education — I know firsthand that Das Williams has the right balance of experience, innovative leadership and is focused on finding solutions to our toughest challenges.”

Carbajal added: “Hardworking Californians here and everywhere are struggling right now. Das Williams understands our community and what people are going through. He is exactly the type of leader we need in Sacramento, he will fight for us.”

“I am truly honored to have earned the support of so many of our area’s local elected leaders,” Williams said. “These endorsements show that this community is ready for new leadership that will put California back on the right track by bringing a new energy, a renewed commitment to Democratic values, innovative problem-solving and personal responsibility that is missing in Sacramento’s broken political system.”

Assembly District 35 is currently represented by Assemblyman Pedro Nava, who is termed out in 2010.

Williams grew up on the Central Coast. In 2003, he became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council, and was re-elected in 2007.

He has worked as a teacher, a policy aide for former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, and a community organizer working to stop the development of a Wal-Mart in Ventura and enact local living wage laws in Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Williams serves on the Peabody Charter School Board and is a national board member of the National Organization for Women.

— Christopher Patterson represents the Das Williams Campaign for Assembly District 35.