Lavagnino’s Sudden Victory
5th District Supervisor a Shoo-In as Filing Window Closes
The wave of Democratic candidates running for office across the country is apparently not trickling down to Santa Barbara County politics. Steve Lavagnino, a traditional Republican, is coasting into a third term unopposed. Even though his small Santa Maria district is home to significantly more registered Democrats, no one filed to contest before the March 9 deadline.
“I guess the ego side of me would say people think I’m doing a good job,” he said. “I would hope that’s it.”
Democrats hold a 15-point advantage in the 5th District, home to about 27,000 voters. A quarter of them are declined-to-state voters. Santa Maria Democrats, however, tend to resemble Blue Dog Democrats — they have a conservative voting record in a more rural area.
