Retired US Naval Commander and combat veteran Bob Smith has announced his candidacy for the 2026 Republican Primary for the US Congress, aiming to unseat the current Democrat incumbent, Salud Carbajal, in California’s 24th district.
In a recent exclusive interview with , Commander Smith shared insights into his campaign platform and personal history.
“I was raised in a low-income family in the Philadelphia area, often living with my grandmother while my father served time in prison. My grandmother worked as a janitor at a local hospital. Due to our financial circumstances and living in a challenging neighborhood, I dropped out of school in the 10th grade. Despite being a good student and athlete, life took a different turn,” Commander Smith recounted.
“I quickly earned my GED and began working for a construction company. It was during this time that the owner encouraged me to join the Navy. I enlisted after obtaining a high school diploma—thanks to the Navy’s night classes. I trained as a SPY-1 radar technician and served aboard the USS Winston Churchill, participating in combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.”
“Later, I was selected for the Seaman Admiral program, which allows top enlisted personnel to attend college and be commissioned as officers upon graduation. I earned a degree in General Engineering and was commissioned as an Officer. I had multiple deployments supporting operations in Iraq and Somalia, serving as an air and missile defense Commander,” he added.
“After my time at sea, I joined the Navy’s engineering corps, where I worked on combat systems engineering, handling acquisitions, program management, and research and development to fill operational gaps in the fleet,” Commander Smith explained.
Having spent over five years working in Washington, DC, Commander Smith has witnessed the entrenched corruption that plagues the system, driving him to continue serving his country through politics.
“After retiring in September, I realized my service was far from over. I cannot tolerate career politicians or the bureaucratic mess in our federal government. If elected, I plan to serve for about six years and then step down voluntarily,” Commander Smith stated.
“Career politicians entrenched for decades create the very problems that contribute to the bloated inefficiency of our government. Their actions, motivated by the desire for power and money, lead to waste, fraud, and abuse, particularly in defense spending,” he continued. “Congress fails to pass budgets on time, which disrupts program timelines and ultimately hinders our national defense capabilities.”
Commander Smith’s district, covering California’s Central Coast, includes Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura. He views the current leadership as both corrupt and ineffective.
“Settling in my wife’s hometown, where we’ve owned a home since 2010, I’ve seen the area deteriorate significantly. It’s clear that strong leadership is needed to restore it to a healthier state,” he remarked.
“We must implement common-sense solutions for our community and for California as a whole. I cannot stand by and watch the ongoing disaster unfold. Engaging in civic duty aligns with my core values of leadership,” he emphasized.
“I want to demonstrate to my son the importance of community service and civic engagement,” Commander Smith said.
“Regardless of the Republican Primary’s outcome, my focus remains on the General Election. It’s imperative we replace the incompetent politicians in our district. All levels of local government are dominated by the same group, making it difficult for diverse voices to be heard,” he asserted.
“The key is to unseat those who have held power for too long. They are not the best leaders or problem-solvers; they merely occupy seats for personal gain,” Commander Smith added.
He took particular aim at his likely opponent, incumbent Democrat Salud Carbajal, criticizing his lack of legislative achievements. “After nine years in Congress, Carbajal has not authored a single piece of legislation that has become law. He doesn’t lead any committees or control budgets—he’s essentially a political ghost,” Commander Smith declared.
“Imagine being a constituent in a district where the median income fails to meet the basic living standards for a family of four,” he lamented.
“Throughout Carbajal’s tenure, not a single budget has passed on time,” Commander Smith noted.
As previously reported, Thomas Cole, the 2024 Republican nominee for US Congress in California’s 24th District, sought to engage non-Republican voters despite his conservative stances. Similarly, Commander Smith recognizes that to unseat an incumbent in this predominantly blue district, he must cultivate broad support.
“We need a concerted effort to encourage cross-party voting. Many Democrats no longer identify with their party as it shifts leftward. We can appeal to these voters on common-sense issues, which is the cornerstone of my campaign,” Commander Smith asserted.
“Our district leans 60-40, with several universities nearby, and we see a significant number of 18-24 year-olds feeling disenfranchised,” he added.
“Real support from the Republican Party is essential. It will require funding and a strong grassroots campaign,” Commander Smith concluded.
For more information about Commander Smith’s platform and background, visit bobsmithforcongress.com.
