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Diana Sanchez Bentz, Christina Tovar and Rebeca Armendariz appear to be the frontrunners in the Gilroy City Council races representing Districts 4, 5 and 6 as the city switches from its historical at-large representation to its first district-based election.
Eight candidates — two in District 4 and three each in Districts 5 and 6 — are vying for the three City Council seats up for grabs. Representation in District 4 covers the southeast part of the city, District 5 is centralized, including the downtown and bordering neighborhood, while District 6 covers the northeast section of the city.
District 4
In District 4, Former councilmember Fred Tovar, a higher education professional and college admissions consultant, is running against Diana Sanchez Bentz, paralegal and chair of the city’s Open Government Commission in District 4.
As of 9:30 p.m on Election Day, Sanchez Bentz appears to be ahead in the District 4 race with 58.6% of the vote, or 426 votes. In second place is Fred Tovar with 41.4% of the vote or 301 votes.
“I’ve done everything that I could do and I feel like I ran an honest campaign and led with integrity,” Bentz told San José Spotlight. “I feel like if that doesn’t sell it, I don’t know what will.”
Tovar did not respond to a request for comment.
Bentz, 67, is a Gilroy native, a 40-year paralegal professional who works at global law firm Paul Hastings LLP and chair of the city’s Open Government Commission. She has lived in District 4 for more than 30 years.
Bentz highlights corporate and economic development, infrastructure and public safety among her policy focal points for the district. From her experience attending council meetings for 20 years, she said six councilmembers and a mayor need to do a better job of listening to each other and being prepared to achieve successful outcomes prior to making decisions.
Gilroy Unified School District Board President Tuyen Fiack said Sanchez Bentz represents underserved residents.
“For a long time, the underserved have not had representation on the city council,” Fiack told San José Spotlight. “I think it’s really important, especially with all of the work that she’s done in the community. She knows the people, and she will vote and make decisions based on the interest of the most important projects.”
Tovar, 57, is a decadeslong Gilroy resident who moved from District 2 into District 4 earlier this year, specifically with the mindset of helping an “underrepresented” area as an experienced public official, he said.
Tovar said he brings strong solution-based, bipartisan leadership that will help the residents and businesses in his district. Having worked and served in the community, he said he’s built strong relationships with first responders, city employees, schools, nonprofits and community organizations that will help the district in City Hall. His policy centers around accountability and more leadership engagement, targeting public safety, economic development and responsible growth.
District 5
In District 5, Councilmember Tom Cline, who won as an at-large candidate in 2022, is seeking reelection to the council against two challengers. Christina Tovar, owner of property maintenance company R.A.C. Services and wife of Fred Tovar’s cousin Raul Tovar, and Joseph Garcia, a Santa Cruz Beach Train locomotive engineer.
As of 9:30 p.m. on Election Day Christina Tovar appears to be ahead in the District 5 race with 47.6% of the vote, or 584 votes. In second place close behind is incumbent Tom Cline with 37.9% of the vote or 465 votes. Joseph Garcia has 14.3% of the vote.
“I’m encouraged by the early results, but every ballot deserves to be counted,” Christina Tovar told San José Spotlight. “I’m just thankful for the support and for how many people took part on our journey.”
Tovar, 47, is a 30-year resident of Gilroy with degrees in finance and accounting from San Jose State University and the University of Maryland Global Campus. She said her education and experience as a CPA will help the city make smart, sustainable financial decisions.
She said fiscal responsibility, transparency and supporting small businesses, first responders and nonprofit and community groups is her priority if chosen to represent the district. Tovar has partnered with nonprofits and community organizations, which showed her how working together leads to better results than working alone.
Cline, 65, is president of Cline Glass Contractors in Fremont and has been a Gilroy resident for nearly four decades. Elected in 2022, he said he has taken pride in working as a councilmember to deliver on policies. He helped establish district-based elections, create an economic development department with a director, get a fourth fire station approved and generate funding for street maintenance.
Among his priorities include generating tax dollars to add more police patrols and staff the new Santa Teresa Fire Station, pointing to the forthcoming Amazon Web Services data center as a big boost financially to the city’s general fund. He also said he intends to pursue the development of Gilroy Sports Park by closing the deal with the San Jose Sharks on a Sharks Ice facility in the city.
“I’ve gotten out there, got a good message out there and it translates well,” Cline told San José Spotlight. “I’ve given it my all, just like I’ve done this last four years.”
Garcia, 50, a Santa Cruz Beach Train locomotive engineer, is a relative newcomer to the city compared to his counterparts, having moved into Gilroy six years ago. Garcia, admittedly not part of a traditional political establishment, said his policy focuses on protecting older adults, zoning reform, neighborhood infrastructure investment and supporting working families and small businesses.
District 6
In District 6, which encompasses the northeast part of the city, former Councilmember and Working Partnerships USA Movement Building Director Rebeca Armendariz is running against Bracco’s Towing and Transportation Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Bracco, daughter of outgoing Councilmember Dion Bracco, and Brad Starks, a product marketing director.
As of 9:30 p.m. on Election Day, Armendariz appears to be ahead in the District 6 race with 49.8% of the vote, or 397 votes. In second place is Bracco with 34.6% of the vote or 276 votes. Starks has 15.5% of the vote.
“I feel like we put it all on the table. It feels like our hard work is paying off,” Armendariz told San José Spotlight. “And this is not even the hard work. The hard work is being on council, but it’s worth it. It’s worth it if I win. If I don’t, I’m going to continue doing the community work that I do anyway.”
Bracco did not respond to a request for comment.
Armendariz, 51, served on the council from 2020 to 2024 before losing her reelection bid. She’s a fourth-generation Gilroy native running her campaign with a dual focus on supporting youth, renters and homeless residents, as well as protecting the area from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Armendariz has been an integral part of the ICE OUT movement, championing rallies around the Bay Area in hopes of preventing the ICE facility from being built just beyond Gilroy’s boarders on Holsclaw Road. The protests have gotten the attention of lawmakers throughout the Bay Area as cities have joined in a legal battle to block the facility. Last month, federal authorities announced construction at the site is on hold until after the legal proceedings in early September.
Gilroy resident Joe Vela attended Armendariz’s election night watch party and said he is exited to see the results come in with her in the lead.
“I think she always stands up for the for the right thing for working families and she’s not afraid to speak up and she just leads and doesn’t necessarily follow,” Vela told San José Spotlight.
Bracco, 31, like Armendariz is also a fourth-generation Gilroy native, with the family and business being in the district for about a decade. With an education from Jessup University in public policy that focused on criminal justice and a former Gilroy police intern, Bracco wants to improve communication between the city council and law enforcement, improve fiscal responsibility and make calculated economic development decisions to create opportunities, jobs, resources and protection throughout the district.
Bracco said public service is in her blood. Some things she wants to see happen in the district include adding a public park near a housing development at Las Animas Avenue and reviewing current economic development plans and work toward projects that bring generational benefits. She also wants to create activities for younger residents inspired by what they enjoy in other Bay Area cities, such as plazas that provide outdoor dining and pet-friendly spaces with storefronts to attract businesses to Gilroy.
Starks, 43, has lived in Gilroy for just more than a decade. He’s running with the vision of making his city a place where families can live, work and build a future through practical solutions that improve, in part, the local economy, working wages, housing and the overall safety of the community.
He’s concerned with the cost of living, housing affordability, infrastructure, water, public safety and the city’s economic standing. Starks said his approach is to work collaboratively, listen to residents and understand the city’s finances. He wants to focus on solutions that are realistic and sustainable and said he believes there are no quick fixes — but councilmembers can make steady progress when they work together and keep Gilroy’s long-term future in mind.
This story will be updated.
Contact Giovanni Albanese Jr. at [email protected].
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