Fast-food and unions are funding this Silicon Valley contest

The fight between business and labor interests is finding ground in the race for District 2 on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

Special interest groups have collectively spent $1.2 million to elect either former San Jose Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen or Betty Duong, chief of staff for District 2 Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who is terming out. Silicon Valley Biz PAC and a political action committee funded by fast-food franchise owners have put about $526,000 behind Nguyen and against Duong, while the South Bay Labor Council and unions have spent $799,000 to support Duong and oppose Nguyen.

“A Better Bay Area,” formed in early October, has spent about $475,000 so far to support Nguyen and oppose Duong, with most funds going toward mailers and digital ads opposing Duong. The PAC is funded by another committee called “California Alliance of Family-Owned Businesses.”

That committee’s donors mostly consist of business owners and franchise groups, including CAM-BAS, Inc., which is run by San Jose McDonalds owner Cosme Fagundo. When the committee first filed on Oct. 9, the alliance put $800,000 into “A Better Bay Area.”

Fagundo did not respond to requests for comment.

South Bay fast-food workers have been mobilizing for the past few years, pressing local officials for better protections in the workplace. Fast-food employees represented by the California Fast Food Workers Union, SEIU and the Working Families Party rallied outside a McDonalds on Oct. 23 to protest the PAC preparing money for the race.

Jean Cohen, executive officer of the South Bay Labor Council, said business owners see increasing workers rights as a threat to their business.

“This is why workers must organize and stand up for candidates who will fight for their rights like Betty Duong — because rich corporations go to great lengths and expend huge amounts of money to try and silence their voices,” Cohen told San José Spotlight.

South Bay Labor Council has spent more than $650,000 to support Duong and oppose Nguyen, making it the largest funder behind Duong. The Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of Santa Clara County PAC has spent $36,000 to support Duong, making it her second largest special interest supporter. A handful of other unions are also supporting Duong’s run, including the Registered Nurses Professional Association Political Action Committee and Santa Clara County Government Attorneys’ Association PAC.

Duong said she’s proud to be backed by labor groups and that she supports raising the minimum wage and improving workers rights.

“It’s quite simple — I support raising the minimum wage and standing with workers, and they don’t. They do not want the values of honoring working men and women on the board of supervisors in Santa Clara County,” Duong told San José Spotlight. “I’ve always fought for workers and won’t back down now.”

Meanwhile, Nguyen said Duong’s backers are repeating false claims that Nguyen lives in Las Vegas, and that these groups want to maintain the city’s “status quo.” She also pointed out that the group of business owners supporting her has so far been outspent by the unions backing Duong.

“I have been under heavy attack in this race because I’m campaigning on real accountability, and people who are supporting me want change,” Nguyen told San José Spotlight. “They want someone who is going to hold elected officials and county officials accountable.”
The race to fill the county’s District 2 has been more expensive than the other open seat race in District 5, between Mountain View Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga and California State Board of Equalization Chair Sally Lieber. A collection of special interests have spent more than $320,000 to support Abe-Koga in the race, including South Bay Labor Council and the California Apartments Association. No expenditures have been made for or against Lieber.

Check out San José Spotlight’s Election Guide for more information on voting in Santa Clara County and other candidates and measures on the ballot. The election is Nov. 5.

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at [email protected] or @SakuCannestra on X, formerly known as Twitter.