As chair of the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party, Christian Alonso is trying to usher the organization into a new era.
Alonso is the latest guest on the podcast “Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina.” In this episode, he discusses local politics, election strategies, community engagement and his journey from Reno, Nevada, to Santa Barbara.
He also addresses how the Democratic Party is looking to flip the Santa Maria seat on the Board of Supervisors. The Fifth District seat is open; longtime Supervisor Steve Lavagnino is not running for re-election. Three candidates are vying for the post: the incumbent’s chief of staff, Cory Bantilan; Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera; and Santa Maria-Bonita School District board member Ricardo Valencia.
In this episode, Alonso explains the importance of Latino representation on the board and discusses his views on federal deportation efforts. He said he and the Democratic Party are currently focusing on organizing volunteers in the North County.
He also discusses:
- The role and impact of the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party in local elections
- How grassroots organization influences election outcomes
- The importance of local races and partisan involvement at the city and county levels
- Strategies for fundraising, volunteer engagement and community outreach
- The Santa Barbara mayor’s race
- The significance of voting in down-ballot races and understanding local issues
- The dynamics of political endorsements and candidate selection processes
- Alonso’s personal story, including his family’s acceptance of his sexual orientation
