Ricardo Valencia said he’s a lifelong learner who leads with curiosity, discipline and accountability.
“I approach every challenge as an opportunity to grow, adapt and deliver results,” said the Santa Maria high school teacher and school board member.
An attorney and Santa Maria City Council member, Maribel Aguilera said she understands policies, rules, regulations—and fine print.
“This country has given me so many opportunities,” she said Thursday at a North County League of Women Voters forum inside Boyd Hall at Allan Hancock College. “Santa Maria has been so good to me and my family.”
But perhaps the most defining moment came when the candidates described how they’d show up as the next Fifth District Santa Barbara County supervisor.
What would they prioritize? Would they play nice with fellow supervisors? And what makes their district, the northernmost in the county, unique?
Those questions came amid a fundraising blitz. This summer and into mid September, Aguilera outpaced Valencia in donations nearly two-to-one, according to the latest major tally. Still, at last count the candidates each had more than $120,000 on hand to spend before Election Day.
Valencia and Aguilera are running to succeed retiring Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino. In the June primary, they defeated his top aide Cory Bantilan, finishing first and second, respectively.
Aguilera, who’s served on the Santa Maria City Council since 2022, told Thursday’s crowd of more than 100 people that her top three concerns are affordable housing, public safety and empowering youth. Expanding on territory she staked out in May, Aguilera again painted herself as data-driven negotiator.
“How would I work with supervisors I don’t agree with?” she said. “Well, I do that every day. I’m able to settle most of my cases. It’s about collaboration and seeing things that are in the best interest of our community.
“We have needs here that other places don’t,” said Aguilera, a registered independent. “We have poverty in our area that is below the threshold. We have young families. We have a lot of immigrant families… From day one, I’m ready to go.”
Valencia, a Democrat first elected to the Santa Maria-Bonita School Board in 2020, said he too prioritizes affordable housing as well as child care and living wages. He’s running what he’s described as a people powered campaign.
“Are we passing ordinances to get ICE out of the 805?” he said. “This is an issue that I don’t know if people are asking at these forums, but it’s one of the central topics that’s on the minds of our community, and it will harm not only our families personally but our economy.
“The thing that makes the Fifth District so special? Look at this room,” Valencia added. “It is us, right?”
With rebuttals forbidden and the candidates inclined to shape their answers from notes, League of Women Voters forums tend to favor side-by-side stump speeches over probing debate.
Still, Valencia and Aguilera each delivered at least one subtle jab.
Valencia told Thursday’s audience he won’t be producing AI deep fake videos like the May advertisement put out by the Santa Barbara County Republican Party that portrayed him as a sad-faced clown.
Aguilera said she hasn’t accepted any oil industry donations.
“It’s been suggested,” she said. “That is false. I’ve never accepted and kept the oil money.”
While their discussion of campaign financing started and stopped there, public documents show the two candidates are running effectively neck and neck in fundraising.
Building on nearly $82,000 she had on hand at the end of 2025, Aguilera this year through Sept. 19 raised another $200,220 in small and large contributions, according to campaign finance filings.
Valencia ended 2025 with more than $58,000 on hand, and he raised another $198,599 in small and large contributions this year through Sept. 19.
Aguilera as of Thursday had reported an additional $26,747 and Valencia another $1,000 in large donations of $1,000 or more since Sept. 19.
Valencia has drawn support among individual donors, labor unions and local Democrats.
Recent donations to his campaign include $5,000 from Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Laura Capps’s campaign committee and $4,000 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 413.
Aguilera has received support from business, agriculture and real estate interests as well as public safety unions.
Recent donations to her campaign include $5,900 from Teixera Farms, Inc., $4,900 from the Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, and $5,900 from the Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association PAC.
Since June, Aguilera’s fundraising has outpaced Valencia’s haul.
Aguilera from July 1 through Sept. 19 raised $96,323, while Valencia pulled in $68,700.
At the time of the last major filing, the candidates each had roughly the same amount of cash on hand. Aguilera reported a war chest of $122,367 with $3,740 in outstanding debts, while Valencia reported $126,638 available with $11,400 in outstanding debts.
