The race to replace disgraced former San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres has become a fight for the future of downtown on issues like homelessness and crime. But one candidate sees it as something else: A chance to rebuild trust with the LGBTQ+ community.
San Jose Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos nabbed the endorsement of Equality California on Monday in his campaign for the District 3 City Council seat. The group sponsors LGBTQ+ rights legislation, signs onto civil rights lawsuits and raises money for candidates and ballot initiatives. It describes itself as the largest statewide LGBTQ+ organization in the U.S.
Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, said District 3 is the heart of San Jose’s LGBTQ+ community. He said Tordillos would be the third openly gay councilmember in city history if victorious in the April 8 special election, with a June 24 runoff if necessary.
“(Tordillos is) the candidate we can count on to restore trust in city government, work for the interest of all District 3 residents and stand up to Donald Trump’s attacks on our community and rights,” Hoang said in a statement. “Equality California is proud to support his candidacy.”
Tordillos, a 33-year-old employee at Google, views his candidacy as both consequential and symbolic. The shocking child sex abuse scandal that led to Torres’ arrest and resignation last November has cast a shadow over City Hall. The former councilmember was a point of pride for the local LGBTQ+ community and progressive political circles, until a set of lewd text messages about minors — and Torres’ admission to molesting a relative in the 1990s — sparked fears of a resurgence in untrue myths about LGBTQ+ people and emboldened homophobia.
“I think in the shadow of the scandal of Councilmember Torres, this is a chance for our community to continue to be visible and vocal,” Tordillos told San José Spotlight.
He’s also keeping his eye on other threats. He said the first few weeks under President Donald Trump have signaled peril for LGBTQ+ rights. A federal lawsuit targeting transgender athletes at San Jose State University — located in the downtown core covered by District 3 — has gained national attention.
Tordillos said he wants to address LGBTQ+ youth homelessness by offering services and getting accurate demographic data, as well as uplifting LGBTQ+ visibility in the city’s art scene. He said he also wants to recognize LGBTQ+ leaders at council meetings.
Tordillos is one of seven candidates running for the District 3 council seat. He’s competing against Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez, mayoral staffer Matthew Quevedo, pro tem judge Irene Smith, retired family counselor Tyrone Wade, retired sheriff Lt. Adam Duran and Philip Dolan, a knife sharpener salesman. Councilmembers appointed Carl Salas, founder of engineering and technical services firm Salas O’Brien, to temporarily represent District 3 until the outcome of the election.
Quevedo, deputy chief of staff in charge of neighborhood outreach for Mayor Matt Mahan, has the support of his boss and Congressmember Sam Liccardo, Mahan’s predecessor. Chavez-Lopez has the endorsement of the most powerful man in the California Assembly — Speaker Robert Rivas.
Quevedo and Chavez-Lopez have both signaled early fundraising between $70,000 and $100,000. Tordillos declined to share how much he’s fundraised so far, but said his next campaign finance report could see him jump to a more prominent position in the race.
“I’m very confident our campaign will have the resources to go toe to toe with the leading candidates in this race,” Tordillos said.
Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X.
This story originally appeared in San José Spotlight.