For the first time in more than a decade, a congressional district covering most of Ventura County and a slice of Los Angeles County will have a new representative in Washington, D.C.
Democratic Congresswoman Julia Brownley of Westlake Village is retiring this year after seven terms. The open 26th District seat drew a flood of candidates, with nine running in the June primary.
On November 3, Republican Sam Gallucci and Democrat Jacqui Irwin will face each other for the seat.
Gallucci worked in the technology industry for 20 years and became a business consultant. Then, he decided to do something different with his life. He founded nonprofits that helped the homeless and undocumented workers in Ventura County, and became a pastor.
Gallucci talked about why he is running for Congress.
"We've had one-party rule for 20 years in the State of California. Do we feel like we are truly being represented on the things that matter most to us? I found for myself and so many of the people that I know the answer is no; we were not better off," said Gallucci. "It's time for a change. The cost of living is out of control; our education is slipping. There are so many things that are broken."
Gallucci outlined his top priorities if elected.
"The first priority is the cost of living. It is completely out of control, and California has been ruled by one party, the Democratic Party, and it's a direct relationship over the last 20 years," said Gallucci. "The cost of living has increased by $40,000 to live in California than it did 12 years ago. I believe the number one thing to do is to look at ways to drive up wages for young people. I believe trade schools are one of the keys. I'm going to use federal grant money and incentivize local communities. We're going to be the number one trade school mecca in all of California, and increase wages for our young folks."
Jacqui Irwin was a high-tech engineer who decided to get involved in public service. In 2004, she was elected to the Thousand Oaks City Council, and served two terms as Mayor. In 2014, she was elected to the State Assembly. She currently represents the 42nd District, which extends from the Camarillo area in Ventura County to Brentwood in Los Angeles County. She’s leaving the Assembly seat because of term limits.
Irwin talked about why she is running for Congress.
"This is a community I've represented for a very long time. It's actually 22 years if you live in Thousand Oaks. I want to go to Washington, and fight for my community," said Irwin. "I think there's a lot of things we can do at the federal level, and I want to be there as part of the solution."
Irwin spoke about her top priorities if elected.
"The big priority we are looking at is holding this Administration accountable. I think that's number one," said Irwin. "We need to make sure that we deal with the issues that Americans care about, and those are the same issues that my community cares about, which is the high cost of living. Whether you are talking about the war in Iran that's driving up the prices, or the trade wars we're having, we need to show that we are not just holding this Administration accountable, but we need to show that we are listening to what the community needs."
What do the two candidates think makes them most qualified for the seat?
"I think the number one thing I can bring to the table is to put people before politics. My opponent, God bless her, she's forgotten why she's there," said Gallucci. "She's literally sold her soul to the radical part of her party. What I can bring is a fresh perspective of putting people first."
Irwin talked about what she thinks sets her apart from Gallucci.
"My degree is in systems engineering. My approach to issues is very logical, and I always try to solve problems," said Irwin. "In addition, I've served my local community for 10 years on the City Council, and then I served the greater area, two-thirds of Ventura County, in the State Legislature, so I have the experience of passing legislation, of bringing resources into the community, and I hope to be able to continue to do that at the federal level."
The winner of the 26th District race will represent nearly 760,000 residents who live from Oxnard to Calabasas.
