California — 24th District

Salud Carbajal

Supports middle-class job creation and tax relief

Carbajal focuses on expanding middle-class economic opportunities by investing in local infrastructure, road rebuilding, and high-speed internet expansion. He supported bipartisan tax relief measures while opposing Republican spending reconciliation and fiscal restriction bills.

• Promotes job creation through federal infrastructure investments, road rebuilding, and clean energy projects.
• Voted for the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (H.R. 7024).
• Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) and the 2025 budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 1).

“No one who works full time should live in poverty. We have to create more opportunities for people to lift themselves into the middle class and stay there.”

“creating jobs by rebuilding roads and highways, expanding access to high-speed internet and clean energy”

Bob Smith

Supports spending cuts and deregulation

Smith identifies affordability as the paramount issue facing Central Coast families and proposes cutting federal spending to combat inflation. He advocates deregulation to lower housing and energy costs, expanding homeownership, curbing corporate housing speculation, and attracting high-tech industries like AI, fusion energy, and space.

• Calls for cutting wasteful federal spending and reducing regulations to lower housing, energy, and food costs.
• Advocates expanding homeownership and limiting corporate housing speculation.
• Seeks to attract space, AI, and fusion energy jobs to CA-24 to reverse the loss of tech companies to other states.

“The cost of living crisis is the defining issue facing working families on the Central Coast.”

“Equity has been stripped from the middle class which has adversely impacted partisan politics, crime, decline in public school education, neighborhood stability, and local civic engagement.”

Salud Carbajal

Supports clean energy and environmental preservation

Carbajal emphasizes environmental protection, expanding access to clean energy, preserving open spaces, and combating wildfires and drought. He voted against House Republican energy measures aimed at boosting fossil fuel development.

• Focuses on expanding clean energy access, preserving natural open spaces, and securing resources for wildfire and drought management.
• Voted against the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) in the 118th Congress.

“preserving open spaces, creating jobs by rebuilding roads and highways, expanding access to high-speed internet and clean energy, fighting wildfires and drought”

Bob Smith

Supports nuclear energy and water storage

Smith supports a balanced energy grid combining renewables with baseload generation, specifically endorsing Small Modular Nuclear Reactors. He opposes industrial offshore wind projects along the local coastline and supports federal investments in water reservoirs and drought resilience.

• Endorses Small Modular Nuclear Reactors to provide reliable baseload power.
• Opposes risky industrial offshore wind development along the Central Coast shoreline.
• Pushes for federal funding for local reservoirs, water storage, and drought resilience infrastructure.

“Protecting our coastline from risky industrial offshore wind projects”

“A balanced grid with renewables layered on reliable baseload power”

Salud Carbajal

Opposes strict Republican border legislation

Carbajal consistently opposes House Republican border enforcement and immigration restriction bills. He voted against mandatory detention for certain undocumented immigrants, voter citizenship proof mandates, and the impeachment of the Homeland Security Secretary.

• Voted against the Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) and the Laken Riley Act (S. 5).
• Voted against the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) and the DUI deportation enforcement bill (H.R. 875).
• Voted against impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (H.Res. 863).

Bob Smith

Supports border security and visa reform

Smith advocates securing the border, enforcing federal law, and immediately deporting violent offenders. He simultaneously supports legal pathways and stability for long-term law-abiding residents, Dreamers, and agricultural workers.

• Calls for securing the border, enforcing federal laws, and immediately deporting violent offenders.
• Supports modernizing agricultural and seasonal work visa frameworks.
• Advocates legal clarity and common-sense reforms for long-term law-abiding residents and Dreamers.

“America needs immigration laws that are compassionate, lawful, and enforceable.”

“Immediate deportation of violent offenders”

Salud Carbajal

Supports higher education affordability

Carbajal focuses on making higher education accessible and reducing burdensome student loan debt for working families. He also voted against Republican restrictions on school athletic participation based on biological sex.

• Champions policies to lower college tuition costs and ease student debt burdens.
• Voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28).

“Middle-class families are struggling to send their children to college because it is unaffordable. It’s outrageous that so many students and their families have to take on crushing amount of debt just to get the education they need to compete in our economy.”

Bob Smith

Supports K-12 standards and vocational pathways

Smith emphasizes restoring academic excellence in K-12 reading, math, and STEM subjects. He supports expanding vocational training and building stronger research and employment links between regional universities like UCSB and Cal Poly and local industries.

• Supports restoring reading, math, and STEM excellence in K-12 education.
• Advocates expanding vocational and technical career pathways.
• Pushes for stronger partnerships between institutions like UCSB and Cal Poly and local Central Coast industries.

“Restoring reading, math, and STEM excellence in K-12 education”

“Creating stronger connections between universities and local industries so graduates can build careers on the Central Coast”

Salud Carbajal

Supports military oversight and defense authorization

Carbajal serves on the House Armed Services Committee and oversees strategic, tactical air, and land forces. He voted for the bipartisan FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act while opposing the FY2025 House defense authorization bill.

• Serves on the House Committee on Armed Services and the subcommittees on Strategic Forces and Tactical Air and Land Forces.
• Voted YEA on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670).
• Voted NAY on the House version of the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070).

Bob Smith

Supports technological superiority and local installations

Smith draws on his 26-year Navy career to advocate for technological dominance in artificial intelligence and cyber defense. He focuses on strengthening partnerships with Vandenberg Space Force Base and Naval Base Ventura County to maintain deterrence.

• Promotes technological superiority in AI, cyber defense, and military hardware to deter global conflicts.
• Pushes to bolster local national security assets at Vandenberg Space Force Base and Naval Base Ventura County.
• Cites 26 years of naval service directing development programs for weapon systems.

“Our military has lost decades on our competitors. We must be so far ahead technologically, that war with the U.S. is not an option for anyone.”

“Strengthening national security partnerships at Vandenberg Space Force Base and Naval Base Ventura County”

Salud Carbajal

Supports transparency and legislative ethics

Carbajal supports ethics and disclosure measures, including voting to release Jeffrey Epstein records and expel Representative George Santos. He voted against restricting federal court injunction powers.

• Voted for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405) and for expelling Rep. George Santos (H.Res. 878).
• Voted against the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA, H.R. 1526).

Bob Smith

Supports term limits and four-year House terms

Smith opposes career politicians and supports congressional term limits. He proposes extending House terms to four years to reduce perpetual campaigning and demands full financial auditing of federal spending.

• Supports congressional term limits and advocates shifting House terms from two years to four years.
• Demands complete transparency and auditing of federal and state tax expenditures.
• Criticizes long-serving elected officials for using experience for special interests and personal gain.

“I support term limits and firmly believe career politicians are detrimental to our government.”

“The two-year term limit for representatives results in perpetual campaigning. I propose four-year term limits”

Salud Carbajal

Supports sensible gun safety laws

Carbajal advocates pushing for sensible gun laws to enhance community safety as a main component of his campaign platform.

• Includes pushing for sensible gun laws among his featured campaign priorities.

Bob Smith

Supports combating fentanyl trafficking

Smith focuses his public safety priorities on stopping fentanyl trafficking at the source and linking community stability to middle-class economic security.

• Focuses public safety commitments on stopping fentanyl trafficking at the source.
• Connects crime reduction to homeownership and neighborhood stability.

“Stopping fentanyl trafficking at the source”

Salud Carbajal

Supports expanded veteran care and support

Carbajal emphasizes honoring military veterans and their families by expanding access to healthcare and transition support upon returning from service.

• Designates caring for veterans and their families as a core campaign priority.
• Focuses on improving support systems for veterans re-entering civilian life.

“In Congress, I will work to honor their service by tackling those challenges head on and make sure they receive the support they need.”

Bob Smith

Supports veteran advocacy based on military career

Smith highlights his 26-year naval career as a Commander and combat veteran as the foundation for his commitment to military veterans.

• Highlights 26 years of U.S. Navy service, advancing from enlisted sailor to Commander.
• Includes support for veterans among his primary campaign themes.

“Bob retired after 26 years of service in the U.S. Navy. He worked his way up from an enlisted recruit to a senior officer”

Salud Carbajal

Supports healthcare affordability and abortion access

Carbajal campaigns on protecting Medicare and Social Security benefits, expanding affordable healthcare access, and protecting reproductive freedom.

• Lists making healthcare affordable and reproductive justice as core platform priorities.
• Advocates protecting earned Medicare and Social Security benefits for seniors.

“Seniors have earned Social Security and Medicare. They have paid into the system throughout their working lives and deserve those benefits in retirement.”