By Jon Chown
For South County voters, there is little to look at on the June 6 ballot, which makes the race for District 4 County Supervisor really stand out.
The June 6 primary will reduce the field of three to two, or possibly just one if a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote. Incumbent Felipe Hernandez is facing a challenge from Elias Gonzales and Tony Nuñez.
Based on fundraising efforts, Nuñez looks like Hernandez’s biggest threat to re-election. Nuñez is actually ahead of Hernandez in fundraising. He has raised $20,022.99 in cash donations, along with $1,475 in non-monetary contributions. He had spent just $8,134 of it as of April 18, according to his campaign filing. He currently has $11,888.32 in cash on hand. His contributions have all come from individuals living within the county, mostly from District 4.
Nuñez’s website lays out his priorities as keeping families in Watsonville by bringing down the cost of housing through a partnership between the county, city, school district, local employers and housing developers. He also promises to push for more home-buying programs in the county.
Childcare is another top issue for Nuñez, who wants more county investment in local programs. He also says he would like to see a coordinated eviction strategy by the county that would assist with more than just rent.
“When a family is facing eviction, the issue is rarely just rent,” his website says. “It may be childcare, transportation, job loss, a medical crisis or a language barrier. A smarter response has to connect those dots earlier.”
The other top issues he lists are attracting more businesses to Watsonville and increasing access to parks. As for business, he would like to look at creating a hospitality zone in Watsonville wherein a business owner could get an alcohol permit that would be restricted from being transferred outside the zone. He would also like to create a fund specifically to help entrepreneurs start South County businesses.
The question will be whether Nuñez’s slight fundraising advantage will be able to overcome the public visibility Hernandez gets from being the incumbent.
As for finances, it appears Hernandez has raised nearly as much money as Nuñez, but Hernandez’s campaign disclosure statement is confusing. According to records he submitted, as of April 18 he had raised $17,310 in cash, with $810 in donations of less than $100 and unitemized.
The donations come from a variety of sources far and wide, including residents from Scotts Valley, Boulder Creek, Castroville, Oakland and Sacramento. Some of the bigger contributions were made by Teamsters Local 853, which donated $550; American Promotional Events, which donated $500; SEIU Local 2015, which donated $1,000; and United Transportation Union, which donated $1,000.
Some notable local people have also donated to Hernandez’s campaign. Former County Supervisor Greg Caput donated $500. Other notable donations were $550 from Steven Dobler and another $550 from Dobler and Sons. Dobler owns 90 Minto Road, a proposed site for a future Battery Energy Storage System facility. Dobler would stand to benefit financially if the controversial project moves forward.
The donation numbers nearly align with what he submitted, which, if totaled correctly, add up to $17,410. However, under expenditures made, Hernandez reported that he has paid out $12,019.56 in cash but lists total expenditures as just $1,213.56. His current cash statement says he had a beginning balance of $10,444 on Jan. 1, 2026, received $22,310 in cash between then and April 18, then made cash payments of $20,735 and has an ending balance of $20,735. None of that adds up correctly. It also says he has outstanding debts of $6,600.
Hernandez’s website touts his lifelong residency in Watsonville and his continuing education at University of California, Santa Cruz. He has had a notable career in public service, serving on the Watsonville City Council, including as mayor. He was also a Cabrillo College Board trustee.
“From serving our country, to organizing with workers, to serving our community in public office, my life has always been about fighting for the people of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley — the community that raised me,” he says on his website.
Among the priorities he lists are protecting access to healthcare, food assistance and vital services for families, housing, finishing the Pajaro River Levee Project, building safer streets with expanded bike lanes, investing in youth programs, and strengthening emergency preparedness and climate resilience.
He is endorsed by Zoe Lofgren, Jimmy Panetta, Anna Caballero and fellow supervisors Kim De Serpa, Justin Cummings and Monica Martinez.
Gonzales, as of April 18, had raised just $5,878 in cash and has loaned himself an additional $2,000 for the campaign. His biggest contributions have come from family members. Some notable community members have also contributed. Celeste Gutierrez, program manager for Ecology Action, chipped in $550. Gabriel Barraza, a mental health clinician and advocate for ethnic studies at PVUSD, has given his campaign $275.
He has spent $4,567, with most of it being paid to the Santa Cruz County Clerk to file. He spent about $1,500 on signs and another $250 on Facebook and Instagram advertising.
According to his website, his campaign is focused on affordability.
“Affordability means our community doesn›t have to choose between rent and groceries. It means securing a future where our kids can afford to stay and build their lives in the town that raised them,” his website says.
TOP PHOTO: Campaign signs for District 4 Supervisor are spread out along Green Valley Boulevard in Watsonville.