Thomas Cole runs against Carbajal

Republican candidate stresses freedom and choice

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Thomas Cole is running against U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, to represent California’s 24th district.

Mr. Cole, who recently ran for the California Republican Party chair and lost, talked to the News-Press about what inspired him to run against Rep. Carbajal.

“My son, Charles Cole, ran for Assembly in 2020; he did pretty well, about 38%. We saw how things were going and we looked into everything,” Mr. Cole said. “We saw what happened when we were working with the Larry Elder campaign. We had ideas that people weren’t using. We actually know better than some bigger campaigners.

“Where the county is headed is not serving anybody except maybe Rep.Carbajal’s elite donors in the South County. But the people running against him are not trying that hard,” the local resident said.

“I voted for Reagan in 1980 the first time I voted. I have lots of experience as a builder and a developer. I have listened to Rush Limbaugh for years.

“Being a Reagan fan is helpful. I don’t think Reagan would get elected today,” he said. “The country is different, California is different and our problems are different.”

Mr. Cole went on to say he’s a fan of politics and has read many political history books. “I have studied every presidential election since the founding. We have been divided since the beginning.

“At this point, we are now a three-party nation,” Mr. Cole said. “What I am thinking is that Republicans in California need to join with