Green Party Challenger Forces a Runoff in San Jose’s D6 Race

Willow Glen councilwoman Dev Davis celebrated the end of her primary re-election campaign with flautas, chips, guac and salsa from San Jose’s Las Cazuelas on the back deck, a platform with a staircase above the pool with multi-colored lights and a waterfall.

Despite what she called “election night jitters,” Davis, 41, warmed up to District 1 Councilman Chappie Jones with a quick hug and another embrace with San Jose Planning Commissioner Edesa Bitbadal and her daughter Sharokina Williams.

Though Davis took a commanding lead in the D6 race, with just 48 percent of the vote, she still falls below the simple majority threshold to win the race outright. That means she’ll be up against Green Party candidate Jake Tonkel in the fall.

Source: Santa Clara County ROV

Tonkel, a 29-year-old biotech engineer, kicked off his campaign by signing a tenant’s rights pledge and swearing off donations of $200 or more from developers, real estate and big business. He also refused to take anything from corporate or super PACs.

That makes his upstart candidacy all the more impressive.

Campaign finance reports show that Davis vastly out-raised her challengers, raking in $138,000 from business groups as well as the real estate and developer community.

Guests of Davis lounged around a backyard pool at the D6 incumbent's watch party. (Photo by Kyle Martin)

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13 Comments

  1. This is the biggest thing to happen to the Green Party in decades. I expect them to come out in droves in the general, knocking for Jake. To get a Green Party member on a city council is epic. They will be energized. This does not bode well for miss Davis.

    • > This is the biggest thing to happen to the Green Party in decades. I expect them to come out in droves in the general, knocking for Jake. To get a Green Party member on a city council is epic.

      People will be hunting down “Green Party” candidates like rabid dogs once they are reminded that the ban on single use shopping bags was a favorite Green Party idea.

      “Reusable shopping bags” are just a way of SPREADING coronaviruses and other pathogens from homes to food stores.

      A REALLY REALLY STUPID IDEA!

  2. Dev-the “eats ” in the picture are disgustingly in bad taste.

    Improvement is required.

    Proper campaign etiquette demands the candidate provide a sumptuous catered feast whether you win or lose.

    David S. Wall

  3. Council elections are not partisan. Once again the fourth check On government feeds us irrelevant nonsense.

  4. Dev has done zero for WG as the crime wave has swept through…. Yet the complacent residents keep voting for her? What a pack of fools!!

    • “Crime wave” – what a joke – there’s less crime in WG by a large margin than there was in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. You must be new here.

  5. Dev Davis has been one great disappointment. She doesn’t get what the community concerns are. She is more worried about what Liccardo thinks.

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