John Cox campaigns in Santa Barbara days before election

The midterm elections are just five days away, and candidates are making one last push for votes.

With much of the nation gripped by the fight for control of the U.S. House, there’s also a lot of eyes on California’s gubernatorial race.

Republican John Cox met with some of his supporters along Stearns Wharf Thursday evening.

John Cox started his day in San Francisco, caught a flight to LA and ended his Thursday in Santa Barbara.

“Hey, hey there people, are you guys ready for some change” asked Cox as he approached a cheering crowd outside Longboard’s Grill.

Like the larger than life letters on his bus, John Cox says help is on the way.

“I think people are ready for change, I really, really do. They have seen this state continue to go down, the rest of the country is doing fine and of course people in this state are working of course but they’re working two or three jobs to try and make a life here. You can’t continue to have an economy like that,” said Cox.

Which is why the Republican candidate for Governor is zeroing in on California’s housing crisis during his final campaign push in Santa Barbara.

“I’m a builder. I build for $90,000 a unit in Indiana it’s $500,000 here. I’m going to call a special session of this legislature for the first week I’m in office and we’re going to address this and we’re going to streamline regulation, we’re going to cut the cost of building so we can have houses that we can afford,” said Cox.

The San Diego businessman says Sacramento is rigged.

“My mom had called me up and talked about the ballot, she’s a lifelong democrat and said you know what James I’m thinking of a change,” said James Fenkner of Santa Barbara.

In fact several of Cox’s supporters in attendance say they’ve recently left the democratic party and Cox represents the change they want to see.

“Everything that he stands for, he mirrors my feelings and my ideologies that’s why I’m here and I’m a Latino from Mexico that came here legally and I have a lot of issues with what’s going on with the caravans and 20 million illegals here. I have an issue with that,” said Almarosa Middleton of Santa Barbara.

Gavin Newsom’s challenger is also a proponent of the gas tax repeal and says the only poll that counts is what happens on Tuesday.

“I’m not just running for Governor, I’m going to try and reform this system,” said Cox.

Cox also assures folks in Santa Barbara that he is opposed to off-shore oil drilling and he wants to develop a plan with secular and non-secular agencies to address homelessness.