Five candidates vying for two San Luis Obispo County supervisor seats

September 16, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The stakes are high for San Luis Obispo County’s 2026 primary election. Liberals are battling to maintain Democratic control of the Board of Supervisors, while conservatives are backing their preferred candidates in what is likely to be two close races

Five candidates are vying for supervisorial seats in districts 2 and 4. Even though the races are nonpartisan, political heavyweights on both sides are getting behind their favorite candidates.

District 2

For nearly 20 years, Supervisor Bruce Gibson has held a tight grip on the District 2 supervisor seat, but he is not running for reelection. Two of the top issues in District 2 are a push for wind energy farms off the coast of Morro Bay and a proposed battery storage facility on the coastline.

The district runs along the coast from San Simeon to Los Osos and includes a portion of San Luis Obispo. It currently has 7,414 more Democrats than Republicans.

Michael Erin Woody, a licensed civil engineer and Salinan Indian tribal council member, is running on a platform of environmental stewardship, government transparency, and giving voice to coastal communities he says have been ignored by local politicians. He is registered declined to state.

Woody has voiced opposition to offshore wind energy and the proposed battery storage facility in Morro Bay. He points to the Moss Landing battery fire as validation of concerns coastal residents have raised for a decade about dangerous battery storage facilities.

Jim Dantona, the president and CEO of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, is running a campaign focused on three primary goals – increasing access to housing, preserving open space, and creating better-paying jobs. He is registered Democratic.

As head of the chamber, Dantona was a strong supporter of off-shore wind energy and battery storage. Dantona plans to step down from the chamber at the end of the year.

District 4

District 4, which includes Nipomo, Arroyo Grande and Oceano, has 1,270 more Republicans than Democrats.

SLO County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding won his District 4 seat in 2024. His focuses include public safety, water security, climate resilience, housing and senior healthcare. He is registered Democratic.

Paulding primarily votes in lockstep with Supervisor Bruce Gibson. His support of a battery storage plant in Nipomo is likely to be a key issue in the race.

Adam Verdin is a local businessman, pilot, attorney and community leader. He is focused on keeping our communities safe, prosperous, and affordable. Verdin is a registered Republican.

Verdin has voiced concerns regarding fire and safety issues at battery storage facilities. He is an advocate for affordable housing and improving health care in the county.

Tyler Brewer is the owner of Family Paralegal Associates and founder of Piper’s Fund dog rescue. He is running on a platform of fairness, transparency, and accountability. He changed his registration to unknown on June 2.

“As an independent populist, I believe government should serve the people — not special interests, not political insiders, and not the wealthy elite<” according to Brewer’s website. “District 4 deserves leadership that listens, acts, and delivers results for the working families, farmers, and small businesses who make our communities strong.”

Supervisor candidates who receive more than 50 percent of the vote in the June 2 primary will win the election outright. Races in which no one wins in June will end with a November runoff.

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