Follow the money in San Jose’s City Council races

https://sanjosespotlight.com/follow-the-money-in-san-joses-city-council-races/

A political newcomer is leading the fundraising pack in the race for this year’s sole open seat on the San Jose City Council, as incumbents in other districts raise funds to fend off rivals.

The first round of campaign filings for the 2026 election cycle, submitted ahead of a Monday deadline, show candidates have raised tens of thousands of dollars across the five districts holding elections this year. Those are the city’s odd-numbered districts: 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. In four of them, the incumbent councilmember is running for reelection, leaving District 9, where Vice Mayor Pam Foley is terming out, as the only open city contest this year. The candidate filing deadline is March 6 for the June primaries.

 Four candidates have already thrown their hats in the ring to replace Foley, including Genny Altwer, a licensed marriage and family therapist. Campaign finance records as of Dec. 31 show Altwer leading, having raised $71,719, including a $15,000 loan she made to her own campaign.

Scott Hughes, Foley’s chief of staff, has raised $41,539. Local entrepreneur Mike Hennessy has raised $23,675 and Gordon Chester, a longtime city employee, has taken in $2,835.

“I’m honored to have received support from so many of my neighbors,” Altwer told San José Spotlight. “City Hall insiders haven’t delivered for our communities, and this support clearly shows that our neighbors have had enough.”

Meanwhile, the three other candidates in the District 9 race all expressed confidence they have the electoral wind at their backs.

“Our campaign is building real momentum, and you can feel it across the district,” Hughes told San José Spotlight. “After years of working side by side with this community to tackle complex challenges, that experience is proving to be a real strength.”

Hennessy said his campaign is “just getting started,” noting he has already received an endorsement from state Sen. Dave Cortese.

“That support reflects a shared vision for a safer, more affordable San Jose for seniors, working families, veterans and small businesses,” he told San José Spotlight.

Chester said after a late entry into the race, he has seen support quickly coalesce around his campaign.

“Viability isn’t just an early fundraising snapshot. It’s whether you can connect with voters and build a team that can win on election day,” he told San José Spotlight. “Today alone, 20 new people signed up to volunteer.”

 Meanwhile, District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan is set to square off in his reelection bid against two bitter rivals: Van Le, an East Side Union High School District trustee and City Hall staffer Hanh-Giao Nguyen.

Le is leading in donations, with a $65,217 fundraising haul, including $19,800 in loans she made to herself.

“The level and breadth of early support,” Le told San José Spotlight, “reflects strong confidence from residents across District 7 that it’s time for leadership that listens, communicates clearly and represents the whole community.”

Doan has raised $23,746. Nguyen has raised $6,950.

Doan obliquely acknowledged his campaign’s lagging fundraising efforts.

“We began fundraising later than usual this cycle as my family was dealing with a serious medical emergency,” he told San José Spotlight. “District 7 is entering a period of real uncertainty, with difficult decisions ahead for our city. That’s why experienced leadership matters.”

Both Le and Nguyen have publicly clashed with Doan. Last year, Le threatened to file a defamation suit against Doan after one of his staff members called for a school district probe into Le over whistleblower accusations  she improperly used school facilities for political purposes. Le has denied wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Nguyen made waves last year when she heckled Doan during an April council meeting. Doan responded by calling for her to be fired from her job as a staff member in the District 5 office.

The District 5 race in East San Jose appears like it will offer a chance for a rematch between incumbent Councilmember Peter Ortiz and Nora Campos, a former councilmember and state lawmaker who lost to Ortiz in the district’s 2022 election. Local education leader Karen Martinez and broadcast journalist Vy Dang have also filed paperwork to run for the seat.

Ortiz has raised $98,761, followed by Campos with $17,550. Martinez has raised $13,779 and Dang $4,500.

“Clearly our accomplishments to protect and improve the quality of life for East San Jose residents and small business owners are resonating and we’ll be working hard every single day between now and the election,” Ortiz told San José Spotlight.

Campos, whose electoral pitch centers on a promise to make City Hall more “transparent and accountable,” said she is encouraged by the support her campaign has received.

“Campaigns aren’t won by early fundraising totals,” she told San José Spotlight. “They’re won by earning the trust of the community, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

 Councilmember Anthony Tordillos won his seat in a special election last year after his predecessor, Omar Torres, resigned amid a child sex abuse scandal. Victory in this year’s election would secure Tordillos his first full term in office.

So far no candidate has filed to run against him. His campaign has raised $34,644.

 Rosemary Kamei is also running unopposed in her bid to secure a second term representing District 1. Her campaign has raised $13,847.

“I’m feeling very positive about the campaign and am proud to receive the support of a broad spectrum of the community members and policy makers,” Kamei told San José Spotlight.

Contact Keith Menconi at keith@sanjosespotlight.com or @KeithMenconi on X.