Hardest fought San Luis Obispo County political duels

May 30, 2026

Stew Jenkins

OPINION by STEW JENKINS

The two hardest fought local political duels for this Tuesday’s Election Day are San Luis Obispo County’s 2nd and 4th supervisorial contests.

From the northwest neighborhoods of San Luis Obispo, up the coast past Cambria to Ragged Point, Michael Erin Woody and Jim Dantona have been pitching their competing visions on wind energy, battery storage, permitting and priorities.

In Oceano, Arroyo Grande and Nipomo out along the Santa Maria River to Kern County, lawyer and incumbent Jimmy Paulding has been defending his seat from Adam Verdin, owner of Old Juan’s Cantina.

I have naturally invited all four to come on my K-NEWS, FM 98.5, show “SLO County Public Policy & The Law,” so all could face questions about their background, character, vision and priorities for the county. Mr. Paulding and Mr. Dantona each avoided coming on the show.

Mr. Woody and Mr. Verdin both came to face questions and explain what they want to do for you.

I thought the broad number of K-NEWS listeners ought to have a chance to listen to all four, on an equal footing. As a Farm Bureau member, I knew that all four did participate in a recorded Farm Bureau candidates forum that only a few county residents had a chance to attend.

So, with the help of Farm Bureau Executive Director Paul Clark, this weekend, SLO County Public Policy & The Law is broadcasting what will surely be the last ssupervisor candidates forum available for voters to weigh whether a candidate actually recognized a problem, and whether a candidate trotted out a realistic or fantastical remedy.

Importantly, the forum gives voters the ability to evaluate whether a candidate’s answers were smarmy, self-aggrandizing, or direct and substantive.

To catch the broadcast, tune your FM radio to 98.5 at 3 p.m. this Sunday. Folks with a smart phone or a computer can log on here to play the live streamed show at 3 p.m. this Sunday. Some folks no longer have radios, and the strong K-NEWS signal gets spotty among hills and canyons some places on the coast near Cayucos and out on the road to Hausna.

This year’s primary ballot is long.  If you live in District 2, or in District 4, after hearing the candidates, make your choice known by voting for supervisor.

Stew Jenkins is an Attorney in San Luis Obispo who has been appointed repeatedly by the Superior Court as Special Master. He provides customized estate plans for client and represents owners of commercial, industrial and farming property. His phone number is (805) 541-5763. He is the host of the weekend radio talk show, SLO County Public Policy and the Law, K-NEWS, FM 98.5.