TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Barb Solish, DCCC West Press Secretary
DATE: July 5, 2016
The long-awaited results of California’s primary mark the beginning of the general election race for California’s 24th Congressional District. While Salud Carbajal soared to a 1st place victory last month, Justin Fareed is finally limping out of the primary a full 11 points behind Carbajal.
Fareed’s campaign has relied on spewing conservative talking points and dodging questions, and with good reason. When he finally is forced to take positions, Central Coast voters will reject his right-wing agenda. Not doing himself any favors, Fareed fully embraced his Party’s toxic presidential nominee. As if answering for all of Trump’s offensive remarks isn’t enough, Fareed will also have to answer serious financial disclosure questions and explain his sketchy fundraising tactics.
Carbajal, meanwhile, will continue fighting for Central Coast values and is ready to bring his bipartisan, problem-solving approach to Congress.
TOO EXTREME FOR THE CENTRAL COAST
Conservative Platitudes and Partisanship
Justin Fareed’s primary campaign rhetoric was full of conservative platitudes and Republican talking points without any substantive backup. But he always revealed just enough to show us that he stands firmly on the wrong side of issues the Central Coast cares about.
On common sense gun safety, Fareed opposes legislation that would keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists.
On immigration, Fareed lined up with extreme Republicans like Trump, calling for a wall along the southern border and refusing to prioritize the kind of comprehensive immigration reform that the country so badly needs. And, in what should have been an easy answer, Fareed couldn’t even denounce the extreme Republican plan to deport 11 million people and tear apart families. Look what happened when a debate moderator tried to get Fareed to state his position:
Fareed, 27, said the United States needs to secure its borders to find a long-term solution. “We need to handle it on a step-by-step basis,” he said. Armendariz, who personally endorsed Fareed, pressed him. Again, Fareed emphasized secure borders. “You don’t want to answer the question,” Armendariz challenged him, asking if he would support deporting the 11 million people in the country illegally. “There is no solution in that regard,” Fareed said. “How many people in this room want taxpayer dollars spent to do something that does not solve a problem?” One member of the audience chimed in: “We do that already.” Fareed responded, “My point exactly.”
After the devastating oil spill off the Central Coast last year, one would expect Fareed to have an answer on his support or opposition to offshore oil drilling. In 2015, Fareed accepted thousands of dollars from a contributor whose company was responsible for major oil spills in Santa Barbara County and was forced to pay a $2 million fine. When asked about oil drilling off the Coast, Fareed advocated “exploring all opportunities,” a common Republican euphemism for increased oil drilling. Pushed again at a debate, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported:
“Justin Fareed, a Santa Barbara rancher and vice president of his family’s athletics business, would not directly answer the question, saying only that the U.S. oil industry has the latest technology in place to prevent environmental hazards.”
It’s hard to keep up with all of Fareed’s linguistic gymnastics, but he did make one thing very clear: Fareed won’t stand up for women. Asked if House Republicans’ witch hunt of Planned Parenthood should continue, Fareed said, “It’s necessary that we have an investigation.” And when he was asked if he supports equal pay for women, he said, “I believe in a merit based system. To me, that’s not a matter of gender, it’s how hard you work and the deliverables that you have on top of that.” That sounds eerily familiar to Trump’s answer on the issue: “You’re gonna make the same if you do as good a job.”
Speaking of Donald Trump…
Trump Republican
Past data predicts increased turnout in California’s 24th district this presidential year, particularly among women and Latinos, which favors Democrats. Trump’s historically toxic candidacy may well accelerate this trend, further imperiling Fareed’s chances. Donald Trump continues to have astronomically high disapproval ratings among Latinos, who make up more than 35 percent of the 24th District’s population. This spells trouble for Fareed, whose name will appear on the same ballot as Trump in this Democratic-leaning district.
Fareed will have to defend his endorsement of Donald Trump and will own every divisive policy and offensive priority that Trump promotes between now and Election Day. Trump’s willingness to be provocative and disrespectful on a daily basis won’t do any favors for down-ballot Republicans like Fareed.
TRANSPARENCY TROUBLES
A recent report raised significant questions about Justin Fareed’s financial disclosures, highlighting that the source of a $200k self-loan last cycle cannot be determined. Fareed reported making a $5,000 salary in 2014. Something doesn’t add up, and voters deserve answers.
Fareed will also have to explain why almost 80 percent of his campaign donations came from outside the district and nearly $200,000 came from donors tied to the largest nursing home operators. The Los Angeles Times noted, “Operators of skilled nursing facilities have a big stake in congressional decisions on healthcare funding and policy.” No wonder they’re bankrolling their chosen candidate. Raising even more questions, some of the donors never met Fareed and others didn’t even remember donating to him.
Central Coast voters deserve honesty and transparency from their member of Congress and someone who will represent them, not special interests.
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME
Fareed, who started running for Congress when he was just 25 years old, thinks he can take on one of most important jobs in the nation, but his actions have proven otherwise.
Last year, Fareed skipped out on a debate just to go to a football game. What’s more? He had confirmed his attendance two months prior, backed out only a week and a half before the debate, and then couldn’t get his story straight when asked why he wouldn’t be attending. Perhaps he was concerned about actually having to take a position on issues important to the Central Coast.
Nothing sums up Fareed’s immaturity better than his reaction at a debate last month. Like many of us, the debate moderator wanted Fareed to actually give a direct answer instead of dodging questions and spewing conservative talking points, but Fareed lost his cool. The Santa Barbara Independent reported, “Fareed showed his age when he snapped at the moderator in the KCRW-Independent debate, where he also was booed for ducking the question about whether he supports Trump.” It’s understandable why Fareed wouldn’t want to proclaim his support for his Party’s toxic nominee, but Central Coast voters deserve to know that he’ll be supporting the Trump agenda.
CALIFORNIA’S 24TH DISTRICT
California’s 24th District has a long history of electing Democrats, and 2016 will be no different. In 2012, President Obama won the district with 55.7% of the vote. Congresswoman Lois Capps, who endorsed Carbajal last year, has held this seat for eighteen years thanks to her progressive record. In a presidential year with a strong candidate like Carbajal, Democrats are in a prime position to hold this seat come November.
CONCLUSION
This November, voters will have a clear choice between Justin Fareed’s shallow rhetoric and right-wing extremism, and Salud Carbajal’s record of standing up for the Central Coast.