Though both are liberal Democrats running for Santa Barbara County’s 1st District supervisorial seat, incumbent Das Williams and Santa Barbara School Board President Laura Capps made it clear Tuesday the stark contrasts in their attitudes and beliefs at their first candidate debate.
The televised debate — moderated by journalist Jerry Roberts on his show Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts; Roberts is also a columnist for the Santa Barbara Independent— was widely anticipated due to the political tensions created by the two competing campaigns. Although the seat of county supervisor is technically nonpartisan, Capps’s decision to challenge Williams triggered election chaos among political, environmental, educational, and homeless/housing advocate groups.