Salud Carbajal has received the endorsements of both state and local education leaders, his campaign announced Aug. 19.
In a testament to Carbajal’s work of supporting early childhood education and afterschool programs and creating safe routes to schools, he has earned the endorsements of Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, former Secretary of Education Gary Hart, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara City College Trustees Marty Blum and Jonathan Abboud, Goleta School Board Member Luz Reyes-Martin, Santa Maria Joint Union High School Board Member Diana Perez, Santa Barbara Unified School Board Members Monique Limón and Ed Heron and Hope Elementary School District Trustees Tony Winterbauer and Kristi Newton.
They join former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell in headlining a list of over 100 community leaders and elected officials who have endorsed Carbajal for Congress.
“We need someone who will work with others to improve and strengthen our schools,” said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone. “Salud Carbajal has been a champion for supporting early childhood education, afterschool programs and school safety. We need Salud’s strong visionary and can do leadership in Congress.”
In 2009, Carbajal received the HOPE Award from the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, which honors champions of public education in Santa Barbara. He has also worked closely with local education leaders to strengthen and expand after school programs.
"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work my way through school at UCSB while supporting a young family, but that opportunity is moving out of reach for too many Central Coast families today,” stated Carbajal. “In Congress, I'll work tirelessly to make sure our students have the resources they need so they are prepared for college and can compete for the jobs of the 21st century. I’ll work to bring down the cost of college and allow students to refinance their loans so that every young person can afford higher education."
Carbajal grew up in public housing in Oxnard and became the first in his family to graduate from college. He is a veteran with service in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.
Carbajal was elected to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in 2004, where he brought both sides together to solve tough problems like preserving the Central Coast’s natural environment, expanding health care coverage for children and investing in rebuilding and expanding our highways and roads.
Carbajal lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, Gina. They have two children and a son-in-law.
Other community leaders already endorsing Salud Carbajal for Congress include the following:
» Congresswoman Lois Capps
» Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley
» San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson
» Santa Barbara County Supervisor Janet Wolf
» Ventura County Supervisors Steve Bennett, Kathy Long and John Zaragoza
» San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx and Councilmembers Carlyn Christianson, Dan Rivoire and John Ashbaugh
» Carpinteria Mayor Gregg Carty, Vice-Mayor Fred Shaw and Councilmembers Al Clark and Brad Stein
» Former Santa Barbara Mayors, Sheila Lodge, Hal Conklin and Marty Blum
— Cory Black is a publicist representing Salud Carbajal.
