My mother, Karen Jones, is laying all of her cards on the table as she runs for 3rd District Supervisor. It’s not because she has nothing to lose. On the contrary, she has everything to lose and everything to gain if she can persevere through the public scrutiny of running for political office. I admire her bravery and passion. It is a much easier path to just be a spectator, pass judgment, cast a vote, and then complain about the outcome.
Karen Jones is self-funded and self-aware. She cannot be bought by special interest groups because she is an independent individual who is here to take on the fight for each individual constituent.
It is true that she has never been elected to office, but this does not mean that she is without leadership experience or without knowledge of the world of politics. She has followed local and national politics her entire life as if she were following a sports team. Starting at a young age, my two older brothers and I would accompany our mother to political debates, rallies, parades, and protests and to walk precincts. This taught me about the power of “we the people” and that it is up to the individuals of a populace to have their voices heard and make a difference.
Before moving to the Santa Ynez Valley, my mother spent her career in the mental health field, helping people who were in crisis. As a founding member of the Santa Ynez Valley Opportunity Shop, a thrift store that raises private funds to donate to the community, my mother not only helps people in need, she helps and supports her fellow volunteers at every chance. She does her work quietly because as a recipient of kindness and benevolence herself, she understands the personal, private exchange that is true charity.
No matter what side of the aisle you sit on, I think most everyone agrees that we’ve had enough of the professional politicians whose top priority is securing a government pension and rewarding their political allies rather than protecting the interests of the community. We need a real person in office who will think of the many faces and facets of the 3rd District when making decisions that will impact the surrounding area.
As a mother of three adult children and two grandchildren in Santa Barbara County, Karen Jones’s agenda is simple: She is in this race to protect and preserve the natural beauty of Santa Barbara County for future generations. Her political opponents make similar claims, but the difference is that they are beholden to their party’s establishment, and bought and paid for by a multitude of special interests groups who rightly expect to be paid back in full when their candidate is elected.
If you are looking for a representative who exhibits integrity, intelligence, loyalty, honesty, and uncensored authenticity, then Karen Jones is your candidate for Santa Barbara County’s 3rd District Supervisor.