San Jose candidates make last appeals ahead of special election to replace Omar Torrez

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The beginning of the work week saw the end of the campaign trail for seven candidates vying to represent San Jose's District 3 in a special election.

"My voters are exceptionally passionate. So, I feel like it's going very well," said Irene Smith, a financial analyst and lawyer who ran successfully two years ago. 

Added Matt Quevedo, the deputy chief of staff to current Mayor Matt Mahan, "I think it's going well. We're getting out there at the doors, taking to voters where they are." 

Quevedo was working the phones from his campaign headquarters as Smith pounded the pavement, going door-to-door in the Horrace Mann neighborhood.

Retired sheriff's Lieutenant Adam Duran, who was also going door-to-door, in the Julian neighbor said, "If I'm giving of my life, my experience for others, I'm living." 

And Gabby Chavez-Lopez, executive director of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley who's also running for the D3 seat, said,  "I've been putting in a lot of work at the doors and making sure that we're connecting with residents and voters." 

Added Anthony Tordillos, former chair of the city's Planning Commission who also seeks the D3 seat, "I'm making use of the time that we have remaining, which is why I'm outside here in the Washington neighborhood."

The common problems all the candidates say they'll tackle are homelessness and public safety.

The crowded field formed following the resignation last fall of former D-3 rep Omar Torrez, who was charged and is awaiting trial for sexual assault on a child. 

His departure created a vacuum, and half-term which needs to be filled.

Some experts said it has seen an influx of outside money to sway voters.

"We're probably going to have a runoff. We're not actually going to have the person who's chosen by the people in there for several more months," said Melissa Michelson, dean of the Menlo College Political Science Department. "This is a great way to get feedback to the mayor's office on how much support there is for the direction he's been going."

Each candidate said they'd be an independent voice that puts the will of D-3 residents first and leave political machinations behind.

"I've led through the pandemic, and I've created coalitions and bringing resources to this district . And really running to city council to continue that work and to continue to fight for our residents," said Chavez-Lopez. 

Added Duron: "Law enforcement and public safety is my DNA and so I  want to bring all of that experience to district 3 to help clean it up." 

Smith said: "This race should be about D3 not about special interests not about special interests not about a voting bloc. D3 and only D3 who's gonna represent the people of D3."

Matt Quevedo said: "They wanna see city hall get back to the basics and that's the message we've been putting out. And so folks want a focused government that's focused on ending street homelessness and rebuilding our police department." 

And Tordillos said, "We've been campaigning this whole time with the understanding they'll be building a coalition to carry us to  a runoff in June..."I'm really focused on issues that can deliver results ending homelessness, economic affordability here in downtown."

The polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 8 p.m. If no candidate gets 50% +1, then there will be a runoff election in June.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU.

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