Cole Marting is a conservative leader, wildfire policy author, and lifelong public servant committed to protecting lives, property, and California’s future.

Cole has spent 19 years of his life in North County, where he developed a deep respect for the land, the people, and the values that define this community. Raised in a family that believed in hard work and helping others, Cole began serving early—volunteering at church, organizing community events, and supporting local civic engagement. That commitment to service has never wavered.

While attending UC Santa Barbara, Cole experienced the devastating 2018 Montecito mudslides firsthand. After wildfires stripped the hills bare, torrential rains turned entire neighborhoods into rivers of mud. Evacuated in the middle of the night, Cole saw up close how unprepared California had become for increasingly frequent natural disasters—a wake-up call that sparked a lifelong mission to make our state safer and more resilient.

It was also at UCSB that Cole met his future wife, Hayley. After college, they moved to Washington, D.C., where they worked on national policy issues and saw firsthand how gridlock and dysfunction were holding back solutions. But more than that, they realized something bigger:

“Yes, things were broken in D.C., but they were even more broken back home. And if we weren’t willing to fight for California, who would?”

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Cole and Hayley returned to North County—not just to be close to family, but to be part of the solution. Together, they’ve made a shared commitment to faith, service, and community.

Today, Cole works at Actionable Insights, a nonprofit focused on solving real-world challenges in the property insurance industry—particularly those impacting wildfire recovery and disaster readiness. He also serves on multiple nonprofit boards, contributes regularly to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Community Voices Project, and owns a small rental property in Bonsall, giving him direct experience with the issues facing both homeowners and renters in North County.

Cole’s interest in public safety and disaster preparedness isn’t abstract, it’s personal. In early 2025, while sitting in his Fallbrook home, he watched three separate fires burning across the 15 freeway and wondered if his family would need to evacuate. That night underscored what he already believed: North County needs forward-thinking, hands-on leadership that puts preparedness before politics.

Cole is the author of California’s Toughest Challenges and the Common Sense Conservative Ways to Solve Them, a policy guide grounded in practical, local-first solutions. He believes that real conservatism is rooted in stewardship, of our land, our water, our public safety, and our communities. That means cutting red tape, managing brush, investing in first responders, and planning for the future.

Cole and Hayley live in Fallbrook, where they’re building a life rooted in faith, family, and service. They’re proud to give back to the region that shaped them, and committed to protecting North County for the next generation.