San Jose Councilmember Arjun Batra’s interest lies in identifying the perceived weaknesses in the city’s systems — and working to fix them. The San Jose City Council appointed Batra to represent District 10 in 2023 after Matt Mahan vacated the seat to become mayor. He is vying for a chance to continue the work he...
Cupertino candidate reenters race despite health concerns
A Cupertino official is back in the City Council race almost a week after she dropped out due to her health. Councilmember Hung Wei on Monday said she will continue her reelection bid, despite previously suspending her campaign on Sept. 17 because of her ongoing battle with stage four lung cancer. She said she’s campaigning...
Election 2024: Education trustee could be first Hindu woman in state Assembly
Signs supporting Tara Sreekrishnan lined the lawn beside PepperMint, an Indian restaurant in Sunnyvale. Inside, Sreekrishnan greeted dozens of supporters who helped themselves to a mouthwatering array of noodles, curries and other cuisines. The people who entered came from all different backgrounds and communities. In one corner was a group of Korean Americans showing their...
Election 2024: Assembly District 26 director ready to move up
Patrick Ahrens donned a brown apron embroidered with the words “Baskin Robins” on his birthday. He doled out scoops of ice cream to dozens of supporters and potential voters, flavors ranging from Baseball Nut and Jamoca Almond Fudge to mint chocolate chip. The candidate for the District 26 state Assembly seat said the ice cream...
Santa Clara candidate linked to baseless Trump claims and misinformation
One candidate running for Santa Clara City Council is distancing himself from past social media posts spewing misinformation. Satish Chandra, a software engineer running against two others to replace Councilmember Kathy Watanabe in District 1, made several Facebook posts in 2020 perpetuating baseless claims made by former President Donald Trump about election fraud and COVID...
Santa Clara County candidates share plans to tackle homelessness
Candidates vying for two open seats on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors are sharing their plans for the region’s top issues: homelessness and housing. Nonprofits PATH and Destination: Home hosted a candidate forum Wednesday moderated by those with lived experience. The candidates in Districts 2 and 5 discussed a number of topics including...
Former San Jose mayor gets big boost from Bloomberg
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has dropped $1.5 million into a super PAC supporting his friend Sam Liccardo’s run for Congress. Bloomberg’s recent contributions appeared in the committee Neighbors for Results’ September filings, posted Friday afternoon, bringing his total donations to $2 million. The large contribution adds to the piles of special interest...
Election 2024: Educator turned advocate runs for San Jose D2 seat
Pamela Campos said she remembers being in middle school the first time she marched with her family for immigrant rights — an experience that set her on a path toward advocating for families in her community where housing and child care are top issues. A policy and program officer, Campos, 30, is running for the...
Election 2024: Retired sheriff’s deputy seeks San Jose D2 seat
Joe Lopez said he was thrust into the world of public service when he became one of the first bilingual hostage negotiators for the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, an experience enhancing the decades-long law enforcement career that sparked his interest in city government. A retired deputy, Lopez, 71, is running for the open San Jose City...
Santa Clara mayor’s push to win back power
In an effort to wrangle power and secure a favorable majority in her final term, Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor has handpicked two candidates to challenge her loudest critics on the City Council and is supporting two others — a move that could advance her political agenda and shape her legacy. This November, voters will decide...