When the Santa Clara County Water District Board appointed former Morgan Hill Mayor John Varela to fill the Board seat vacated by Dennis Kennedy, who is battling cancer, they probably were not looking ahead to the 2016 election, but one potential candidate was. Apparently, San Jose Vice Mayor Rose Herrera, who will be termed out at the end of 2016, is already talking about running against Varela next fall.
This could be quite a battle. Herrera opposed raising the San Jose minimum wage to $10 and championed illegal pension reform. Varela, on the other hand, was appointed by Labor-friendly Water District Board members. It is unclear where Herrera will draw support for the race, but she is known as an aggressive fundraiser, who is not shy about reminding potential donors that she has a vote on the San Jose City Council.
With Water District CEO Beau Goldie on his way out, the District could certainly use some leadership stability. Few, if any, of the District Board members want to see Rose Herrera elected. Expect to see a majority of them rally around Varela.
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