Salud Carbajal

Salud Carbajal
Born	Salud Ortiz Carbajal 18 11, 1964
Birthplace	Morelón, Guanajuato, Mexico
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for California's 24th congressional district
Education	University of California, Santa Barbara (BA) Fielding Graduate University (MA)
Spouse(s)	Gina Carbajal
Children	2
Website	[carbajal.house.gov Official site]

Salud Ortiz Carbajal (Template:IPAc-en; born November 18, 1964) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for California's 24th congressional district since January 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Carbajal represents a district on California's Central Coast that encompasses Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria, as well as portions of Ventura County. Born in Mexico and raised in the farming communities of the Oxnard area, Carbajal immigrated to the United States as a young child, eventually serving in the United States Marine Corps before entering public life. Prior to his election to Congress, he served for over a decade on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, representing the 1st District from 2005 to 2017. In Congress, he succeeded Lois Capps, who retired after serving the district for nearly two decades. Carbajal is a member of several congressional caucuses, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the New Democrat Coalition, and the Climate Solutions Caucus.

Early Life

Salud Ortiz Carbajal was born on November 18, 1964, in Morelón, a town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. His family immigrated to the United States when he was young, settling in the agricultural regions of California's Central Coast. Growing up in a farmworker family, Carbajal experienced the challenges faced by immigrant communities in California's agricultural sector firsthand.

Carbajal's upbringing in an immigrant, working-class household shaped his later political interests and focus on issues such as labor rights, immigration, and economic opportunity. His family's experience as immigrants and farmworkers on the Central Coast provided him with a perspective that he would later draw upon extensively in his political career.

As a young man, Carbajal enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1984 to 1992. His military service included time during the Gulf War, and his experience as a Marine veteran has remained a significant part of his public identity throughout his political career. After completing his military service, Carbajal returned to civilian life on the Central Coast, where he pursued higher education and began his engagement with community and public affairs.

Education

After completing his service in the Marine Corps, Carbajal attended the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later pursued graduate studies at Fielding Graduate University, a private institution based in Santa Barbara that focuses on graduate-level programs in psychology, education, and human development. At Fielding, Carbajal earned a Master of Arts degree.

His educational background at UCSB connected him deeply to the Santa Barbara community, which would become the base of his political career. Both institutions are located in the region he would go on to represent in local and then federal office.

Career

Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors

Carbajal entered elected office in 2004 when he won election to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, representing the 1st District. He took office in 2005, succeeding Naomi Schwartz. During his tenure on the Board of Supervisors, Carbajal served for over twelve years, establishing himself as a prominent political figure on the Central Coast.

As a county supervisor, Carbajal focused on a range of local issues, including environmental protection, public safety, and economic development in the Santa Barbara region. His long tenure on the board provided him with extensive experience in local governance and constituent services, which he cited as preparation for his later run for Congress.

Carbajal served on the Board of Supervisors until his election to Congress in November 2016. He was succeeded on the board by Das Williams.

2016 Congressional Campaign

In April 2015, Carbajal announced his candidacy for California's 24th congressional district, seeking to succeed Lois Capps, who had announced her retirement from the seat she had held since 1998. Running as a Democrat, Carbajal positioned himself as a continuation of Capps's centrist Democratic representation of the district, emphasizing his experience in local government and his background as a Marine veteran and immigrant.

Under California's nonpartisan blanket primary system (also known as the "jungle primary"), the top two vote-getters in the June 2016 primary advanced to the November general election regardless of party affiliation. Carbajal advanced to the general election, where he faced Republican candidate Justin Fareed.

The general election was competitive, with both candidates campaigning actively across the sprawling Central Coast district. Carbajal ultimately prevailed in the November 2016 election, winning the seat. He was certified as the winner by the California Secretary of State and prepared to take office as part of the 115th United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

Carbajal was sworn in as the U.S. Representative for California's 24th congressional district on January 3, 2017. He has been re-elected to successive terms, continuing to serve the district through multiple congressional sessions.

Caucus Memberships

In the House, Carbajal has affiliated with several caucuses and coalitions that reflect his policy priorities. He is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of centrist and moderate Democrats focused on pro-growth economic policies. He is also a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, reflecting his heritage as a Mexican-born immigrant and his advocacy for Latino communities. Additionally, Carbajal is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Carbajal has been involved in the Climate Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan group of House members focused on addressing climate change, an issue of particular relevance to his Central Coast district, which has been affected by wildfires, drought, and coastal erosion. He has also been a member of the Congressional Baltic Caucus and has participated in efforts related to solar energy policy, joining a bipartisan Congressional Solar Caucus.

Legislative Priorities and District Work

Throughout his congressional tenure, Carbajal has focused on issues affecting his Central Coast constituents, including environmental protection, veterans' affairs, immigration policy, and economic affordability. As a veteran of the Marine Corps, he has taken particular interest in legislation related to military and veterans' issues. His district includes Vandenberg Space Force Base, and Carbajal has maintained an active relationship with the installation. In July 2025, he visited Vandenberg Space Force Base, meeting with military leadership and touring the facility.

Carbajal has been recognized by the California State Senate, which acknowledged his service and contributions in official proceedings.

Affordability Tour (2026)

In February 2026, Carbajal conducted a multi-day "Central Coast Affordability Tour" across his district, visiting communities in San Luis Obispo County, Ventura County, and Santa Barbara County. The tour focused on the cost-of-living crisis affecting Central Coast residents, and Carbajal used the series of events to engage directly with constituents on issues such as housing costs, food prices, and the affordability of higher education.

During the tour, Carbajal made stops at several institutions, including Ventura College, where he met with students and staff to hear about the financial pressures facing college students in the region. He also visited City Farm SLO in San Luis Obispo and other community organizations, discussing the impact of federal policy on local affordability issues.

As part of the tour, Carbajal also addressed trade policy, visiting SLO Roasted Coffee in San Luis Obispo to discuss the impact of tariffs imposed during the Trump administration on small businesses in his district. He criticized the tariffs as harmful to the local economy and to small business owners who rely on imported goods.

The affordability tour also brought media scrutiny and student perspectives. A student journalist at Cuesta College wrote a perspective piece noting Carbajal's visit to campus for a round-table discussion hosted by the college's Democrats Club, reflecting on the nature of constituent-representative relationships.

Campaign Finance

As a federal candidate and officeholder, Carbajal's campaign finance records are maintained by the Federal Election Commission. His candidate committee has been registered under the FEC identification number H6CA24303.

Personal Life

Carbajal resides on the Central Coast of California with his wife, Gina Carbajal. The couple has two children. He has maintained his home in the Santa Barbara area throughout his political career, remaining connected to the community he has represented at both the county and federal level.

As an immigrant who came to the United States from Mexico as a child and later served in the U.S. Marine Corps, Carbajal has often spoken publicly about his personal story as illustrative of the immigrant experience in America. He served in the Marines from 1984 to 1992, a period that included the Gulf War era.

Carbajal's official campaign website is maintained at saludcarbajal.com.