Valencia takes narrow early lead in North County race for Fifth District Santa Barbara County supervisor

In a contest watched across Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria high school teacher Ricardo Valencia took an early and narrow 276-vote Election Night lead in the race for Fifth District county supervisor.

Valencia appeared cautiously optimistic as he gathered with family and supporters at The Garden Mediterranean Restaurant & Cafe on East Boone Street.

“I’m feeling immense gratitude for the communities of Guadalupe, Santa Maria and Tanglewood,,” Valencia said shortly before the first results dropped, praising people who contributed to his campaign. “Folks that are struggling to buy groceries, to pay rent invested five bucks, ten bucks, twenty bucks or volunteered. I don’t take that investment lightly.”

Early Wednesday, Valencia had captured 51.7% of the votes counted. Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera, an independent, had 47.7%.

Aguilera met family and supporters nearby at The Historic Santa Maria Inn on South Broadway.

“I’m super excited,” Aguilera said as her watch party got going, her young daughter by her side. “It was a family affair to run for office.

“I think it’s going to be close,” she said, adding she hoped her campaign would inspire other women to enter politics. “I applaud anybody who puts themselves out there.”

A win by the Democrat Valencia, 43, would represent a powerful shift in the historically right-leaning Fifth District. The candidates are battling to succeed Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, an independent and former Republican who’s retiring after 16 years.

The candidates have been campaigning since early 2026. In June, they emerged as the top two finishers in a three-way primary, defeating Lavagnino aide Cory Bantilan. 

Neither won a majority, sparking an Election Day runoff.

Valencia, who ran as an unapologetic progressive, reported raising $225,088 through Oct. 17 and an additional $8,500 in donations larger than $1,000 through Oct. 28.

In addition to the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party, Valencia received support from the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, the Central Coast Labor Council and several labor unions including SEIU Local 620, which represents nearly 2,200 employees across every county department.

Aguilera, 45, who ran as a proud centrist, has reported raising $286,741.42 this year through Oct. 17 and an additional $30,300 in donations larger than $1,000 through Monday.

Aguilera received support from the Santa Barbara County Republicans, Santa Maria police and firefighter unions, SEIU Local 721, the Central Coast Labor Council and the Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Valencia grew up in Guadalupe and Santa Maria and graduated from Santa Maria High School.

The first in his family to graduate from college, Valencia earned a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies in 2006 from UC Berkeley. He later received a full scholarship to complete a master’s degree in teaching at Tufts University. 

After graduate school, Valencia returned to Santa Maria and in 2010 began teaching ethnic studies at Santa Maria High.

On the campaign trail, Valencia spoke frequently about affordable housing and supported phasing out oil and gas production in favor of clean energy and replacing oil industry jobs with union jobs.

Valencia also has strongly opposed Trump Administration immigration policies and ICE deportations.

He wants greater oversight of ICE activities on county properties, including hearings examining how the federal agency gains access to inmates in county jails.

Aguilera similarly grew up in Santa Maria, picked strawberries as a child with her parents, and said that as a child she lived in public housing and relied on food stamps.

The first in her family to attend college, Aguilera earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2003 from La Sierra University in Riverside. She returned to Santa Maria and earned a law degree in 2009 from the Santa Barbara Colleges of Law.

She’s worked with nonprofit organizations and legal aid providers. She also worked briefly in the oil and gas industry as a business development landman for ERG Operating Company.

Aguilera became a partner at Kirk & Simas in 2018 before returning to her own practice in 2023, focusing on business and real estate law.

She also works as a court-appointed representative of children.

On the campaign trail, Aguilera championed pragmatism over ideology. Negotiations matter more than gratuitous confrontations, and relationships are essential, she said.

At campaign forums and when knocking on voters’ doors, Aguilera pitched affordable housing, public safety and programs to benefit young people.

Aguilera says that she, like her opponent, sees a future for solar and other energy alternatives — but also questions whether displaced oil workers without college degrees would find new jobs.