Ahead of the 2022 election period, a handful of candidates have already announced plans to run for county supervisor in Santa Clara County. Supervisor seats will be open in District 1 and District 4.
Current District 1 Supervisor Mike Wasserman will be termed out after serving three elected four-year terms. District 1 incorporates portions of San Jose in addition to the cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
Current District 4 Supervisor Susan Ellenberg is nearing the end of a four-year term after being elected in 2018. District 4 spans across the cities of Santa Clara, Campbell, much of west San Jose, and the unincorporated Cambrian and Burbank districts.
As of now, there are four candidates in the running for the Santa Clara County District 1 Supervisor position. Former San Jose City Councilmember Johnny Khamis was the first candidate to formally declare his candidacy for the upcoming election. As a former financial and insurance advisor, Khamis hopes to bring more fiscal stewardship and efficiency to the county government. Last month, Khamis penned an op/ed for the Morgan Hill Times, advocating for the reform of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – a process he says has been abused by opponents to housing construction, and is in need of comprehensive reform in order to address the causes of the housing crisis.
Morgan Hill Mayor Rich Constantine formally declared his candidacy in May, joining three other potential candidates for the seat. Hill was elected to his second two-year term as the Mayor of Morgan Hill in 2020, and is also a retired firefighter for the City of San Jose.
According to former Congressman Mike Honda, “Rich has an incomparable track record of protecting open space in South County, combating traffic congestion, strengthening our workforce and ensuring that families have access to healthcare.”
Also in the pool of candidates is County Board of Education President Claudia Rossi who has a long history working as an elected education official. Prior to her current role, Rossi served a four-year elected term on the Morgan Hill Unified School District and worked as a nurse for many years.
She plans to use her experience working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic as an “opportunity to rebuild stronger and better”.
The fourth candidate in the running, Los Gatos Vice Mayor Rob Rennie, was first elected to the Los Gatos Town Council in 2014 and reelected in 2018. While serving as councilmember and vice mayor, Rennie has focused on transit and climate change, congestion management, sustainable economy and equitable housing solutions.
If elected, Rennie said he would prioritize accessibility along with helping families and small business recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This story will be updated with ongoing news regarding the 2022 county supervisors election.