Local & Community
CJ Tobe launches campaign for Desert Healthcare District board seat
As attention turns toward the 2026 midterm elections, local campaigns are also beginning to take shape across the Coachella Valley.
In Palm Springs, CJ Tobe officially launched his campaign for a District 1 seat on the Desert Healthcare District board during a reception at the Velvet Rope.
Tobe said he wants to represent the West Valley at a time when the Desert Healthcare District is expected to oversee significant resources connected to its agreement involving Desert Regional Hospital.
“I want to make sure that I'm one of those seven people on the board of Desert Healthcare District that's listening to the community, bringing people together and coming up with a plan on how to maximize those resources to improve health across the Coachella Valley,” Tobe said.
Tobe said his professional experience in health care has helped prepare him for the role. He said he previously relied on the health care system as a patient and worked his way from frontline case management to the executive team at DAP Health.
He also brings a personal history that he says shaped his interest in improving community health.
Tobe came to the Coachella Valley while experiencing homelessness and lived at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs. With help, he said he was able to move off the streets and build a career in health care.
Now, he hopes that experience can help inform his approach if he is elected to the Desert Healthcare District board.
Tobe said he wants residents to have a voice in how future resources are used and believes the district has an opportunity to make long-term investments that improve health and well-being throughout the Coachella Valley.
He said his focus would be on bringing people together, listening to residents and developing a plan to maximize the district's resources.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 14, 2026
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