San Jose council candidates raise funds ahead of election

The latest round of campaign finance filings for the 2026 election cycle show money pouring into San Jose’s three competitive City Council races. In each case, a clear fundraising frontrunner has emerged.

This cycle, the city is holding elections in its five odd-numbered council districts, though the incumbents in District 1 and 3 — Councilmembers Rosemary Kamei and Anthony Tordillos — are running unopposed. In two other districts, 5 and 7, incumbents are squaring off against crowded fields of challengers. That leaves just District 9, where Vice Mayor Pam Foley is terming out, as the only open council contest this year.

To provide an updated picture of the funding landscape in these races, San José Spotlight has tabulated the latest round of campaign finance filings, which run through May 16.

District 9

Among the five candidates vying to replace Foley in District 9, licensed marriage and family therapist Genny Altwer has secured a clear funding edge, having raised $106,272 of which 15% was a personal loan, according to the filings submitted ahead of a Thursday deadline.

Coming in second is Scott Hughes, Foley’s chief of staff, who has raised $59,838. Meanwhile, local entrepreneur Mike Hennessy has drawn in $36,133, of which 55% was a personal loan. City employee Gordon Chester has received $28,395, of which 14% was a personal loan. Rick Ator, a longtime tech worker, has amassed $7,313.84, of which 43% was a personal loan.

Altwer, a newcomer to politics, is promising to bring a fresh approach to leadership in the district, contrasting her background to that of Hughes, who has worked for both Foley and her predecessor, former Councilmember Don Rocha.

“Every day, I hear from voters that they want real plans to tackle crime, affordability and homelessness,” Altwer told San José Spotlight. “That change isn’t going to come from another City Hall insider. Instead it’s going to take someone who’s taken on tough problems and delivered.”

In contrast, Hughes is making the case that his years of experience in public service have prepared him well to offer a steady hand leading the southwest San Jose district.

“For 12 years, I have worked directly with District 9 residents and have a track record of delivering results for our neighborhoods,” Hughes told San José Spotlight. “My deep community experience has resonated with people, and in these final days, I will continue to share my vision for District 9 and earn voters’ confidence and trust.”

Altwer, who worked for 13 years as a sworn officer in the San Mateo Police Department, has also received a significant boost from independent political groups. That includes the business-aligned Silicon Valley Biz PAC, which has spent more than $32,000 in support of her campaign, according to campaign finance records. In addition, the San Jose Police Officers’ Association’s political action committee has spent north of $22,000 on mailers to aid her election bid.

Silicon Valley Biz PAC Executive Director Victor Gomez said Altwer has demonstrated the strongest support for business-friendly policies, citing her plans to streamline the approval processes for housing development.

“We felt like our policies aligned better with Genny in that race,” Gomez told San José Spotlight.

District 7

After an early funding lag, incumbent District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan has managed to make up for lost time, pulling well ahead of his rivals with a funding haul of $128,235, of which 16% was a personal loan.

In second place is East Side Union High School District trustee Van Le, who has amassed $85,905, of which 23% is a personal loan. City Hall staffer Hanh-Giao Nguyen has received $21,109, of which 4% was a personal loan, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union member Rafael Garcia has drawn $14,896, of which 6% was a personal loan.

“This campaign is about bringing people together and staying focused on results, not division or dirty politics,” Doan told San José Spotlight. “In the final stretch, my focus remains the same: uniting our community, making neighborhoods safer, lowering costs, creating jobs, holding City Hall accountable and delivering visible results.”

It’s a race marked by bitter rivalries that stretch back years. Le and Nguyen have publicly clashed with Doan, and the pair have incorporated these longstanding feuds into their electoral cases against the incumbent, casting him as a divisive figure.

“I believe our message is resonating because voters are looking for someone who will address public safety, homelessness, affordability and neighborhood quality of life while being responsive to all parts of our community,” Le told San José Spotlight. “District 7 is incredibly diverse, and residents want a councilmember who will listen to everyone, not just a select group of stakeholders.”

In the last 16 years, no incumbent has won a second term in the district. Yet, Doan’s funding edge has been sharpened by additional support from independent business groups, including the California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses PAC. The group, which promotes the interests of small businesses throughout the state, has also thrown its support behind District 5 candidate Karen Martinez, a local education leader.

Meanwhile, labor-aligned groups have spread their support widely in District 7, spending to help three candidates — Doan, Nguyen and Garcia. The most significant expenditure has been the roughly $11,000 spent on mailers in support of Garcia by a PAC sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 332.

District 5

District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz has emerged as a fundraising powerhouse this election cycle, having pulled in $144,835 in campaign support. That’s the most of any candidate across all the council races, and also gives him a nearly three-to-one funding advantage over his next closest rival, Nora Campos, a former San Jose councilmember and state lawmaker.

Campos, who lost to Ortiz in the district’s 2022 election, has so far raised $48,748 of which 6% was a personal loan. Broadcast journalist Vy Dang has drawn $29,680 and Martinez has attracted $29,404.

“Our campaign, alongside hundreds of volunteers, is proud to have knocked on over 13,300 doors,” Ortiz told San José Spotlight. “It’s been exciting to hear from my neighbors that they share my vision for a safer, more equitable, and better-supported community, with the services that all of our residents deserve.”

Campos, who has positioned herself as a change candidate, has taken aim at Ortiz’s record on public safety and street conditions.

“(Residents are) tired of a government that isn’t responding to their everyday needs and frustrated by rising crime, blight, abandoned vehicles and neighborhoods that feel ignored by City Hall,” Campos told San José Spotlight. “What’s resonating in our campaign is my track record of delivering results — fighting for safer neighborhoods, cleaner streets and stronger city services.”

Labor groups have directed the bulk of their city council campaign spending this cycle to support Ortiz’s reelection bid.  

Among the biggest spenders, a union-backed PAC known as South Bay Working Families Supporting Ortiz for City Council 2026 has reported more than $80,000 in expenditures to support his campaign, including outlays on mailers and online ads. In addition, a PAC backed by the South Bay Labor Council, another influential group in San Jose politics, has also spent tens of thousands of dollars to help Ortiz secure victory.

“We focus our efforts where economic fairness and the future of strong communities are on the ballot,” the group’s executive officer, Jean Cohen, told San José Spotlight. “We have volunteers active in all of the competitive council races, with additional focus on District 5 because Peter is a labor-endorsed incumbent with a strong record of standing up for working families.”

Contact Keith Menconi at [email protected] or @KeithMenconi on X.

Updated May 28 at 8:34 a.m. Original story published May 27 at 8:30 a.m.

Editor’s note: A past version of this story had mismatched fundraising amounts for District 7 candidate Vy Dang.