A doctor with Big Ag support appears posed to best an incumbent for a seat on the Salinas Valley Health board.

Backed by powerful agricultural interests, Dr. James Dacus was leading in the Zone 4 race for the Salinas Valley Health Board of Directors, with more than 53 percent of the vote versus the incumbent, Catherine Carson, who had just over 46 percent of the vote, as of early Wednesday morning, Nov. 4.

Dacus had amassed 5,094 votes to Carson's 4,400.

In the weeks leading up to the election, Dacus was reporting donations from the ag industry of over $65,000, and in the last few days he reported two donations totaling $15,000, including $10,000 from Bruce Taylor. As of Oct. 27, Dacus reported spending $29,145 on the campaign.

Carson reported receiving $200 from a single contributor during the most recent campaign. She spent a little over $10,000 on her campaign and ended with over $35,000 in debts, most of it left over from her initial campaign in 2022.

Dacus worked for over 40 years in Salinas as an internist and primary care physician, and had served as chief of staff twice while working at SVH. He was encouraged to run by staff members who said the board needed a physician's voice.

Carson, a retired nurse and hospital administrator, said she wanted to remain on the board as the hospital was working toward an important national designation, as well as maintain a federal accreditation. She also has been working on strategies for dealing with the negative impacts of H.R. 1, which includes deep cuts to hospitals.