By Robert Haugh
It’s official. Santa Clara will pick a mayor from a list of six candidates. Two of the 49er Five will be running against each other: Karen Hardy and Kevin Park.
A total of four candidates will face-off for City Council Districts 2 and 3.
Here’s the full list of the candidates for Mayor and City Council who will be on the November, 2026 ballot:
Santa Clara News Online will write extensively about the candidates and races in the coming days and weeks.
This is good information
PJ Brown
AUG 20, 2026 AT 11:15PM
Gary is a MAGA Republican. He and his wife have been hardcore Trump supporters since 2016. I can’t believe the South Bay Labor Council, among others, would support a MAGA candidate during times like these. He is the last person we need as Santa Clara’s mayor.
Not to mention, he is 100% a 49ers candidate. Ellie Caple from the 49ers has openly talked about how the team is backing Gary and Kimberly in all of our upcoming races in Santa Clara, already showing treasonous behavior. Elijah Lefkow, also from the 49ers, has built a close relationship with Dave Bini from SBLC, and that’s how SBLC is endorsing these illegitimate candidates for these positions. Sad news.
Kathy Watanabe is running because of “proven leadership” and she has my vote. I don’t know if the others are even qualified or interested in hard work, lots of criticism, and long hours away from home, but she has the experience and determination to succeed at anything she does.
Why do we keep recycling the same tired, compromised faces in Santa Clara city government? I honestly don’t get it. Becker sat on the dais for years acting like the victim in messes of his own making, ran for mayor in 2022 and lost by just 687 votes, and later got convicted of felony perjury tied to his time in office. He’s legally barred from holding office in this state again, and he still shows up to public comment to relitigate the same grievances. That a guy like this came within 687 votes of running our city should tell you something about how little scrutiny we put on who gets our vote.
And now Park and Hardy, both founding members of that same “49er Five” council bloc that’s controlled this city since 2020, want the mayor’s office next. Hardy retained her seat in 2022 backed by roughly a million dollars in 49ers-funded independent expenditure spending. Park has been the subject of a grand jury report over his conduct on the dais and has had to publicly apologize more than once for how he’s treated residents and staff. Handing either of them a promotion just rewards the same behavior we’ve been complaining about for years.
Meanwhile the basics keep slipping. We’re sitting on a $624 million infrastructure backlog, and voters already had to approve a $400 million bond back in 2024 just to start covering it. Downtown redevelopment has been “approved” since 2023 with barely anything to show for it. The fountain in Civic Center Park has sat dry for years.
None of this changes if we keep voting the way we vote, on name recognition, on tribal loyalty, on autopilot for whoever’s already in office. And here’s what nobody wants to say out loud: your presidential vote in California barely moves the needle. This state is a lock every four years no matter what any of us do. But your vote for city council actually decides something, who fixes your streets, who manages your police budget, who decides if downtown ever gets built. Local elections are the most consequential votes most of us will ever cast, and we keep treating them like an afterthought.
Vote these people out. Bring in fresh blood, people who haven’t been bought off by outside money, who aren’t jaded and folded into the same local power machine, who actually have some fire left for representing their districts. People who genuinely want to see Santa Clara thrive. Enough is enough! Less whining about it and more doing something about it!
From looking at list, several candidates have been grassroots in past and not taken PAC money and still have fire left for fighting for the city. You are on right track but there’s still opportunity from past elected that have fought for Santa Clara.
think about it. for 4 years it was a 5-2 vote. How much did those 2 votes make a difference against 49er bought candidates? One of those 2 is termed out but the other has an opportunity to be part of flipping the 49ers majority. Don’t give up on the underdog. Don’t let Jed York control the mayoral seat!
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Please !! We need new blood in local government. And, as Mr. McGee points out, one can actually have a voice in local elections and witness the impact of that vote.
Gee, how many terms did Mahan, Moore, Caserta, Kolstad, Matthews serve? No one screamed New Blood! Oh yah, they were kept on through their own lies and cheating to pass the 49ers stadium that certain folks seem to forget.
I agree we need ALL fresh blood in our Santa Clara city government.
It’s almost funny, the Niners spend a ridiculous amount of money getting puppets like Karen Hardy and Kevin Park elected to the council, and now they have to worry about actually running the city, because they picked the most inexperienced, unqualified candidates ever, just to push their agenda. It’s also hilarious that Raj Chahal didn’t pull papers to run for mayor because he couldn’t get guaranteed support from the Niners and knew he’d lose without their cash flow. This is exactly why Karen and Kevin met with the Niners on a weekly basis they were being fed talking points by the team and asked to vote against Santa Clarans’ interests, and it shows in their voting record.
However, many of the candidates seen here, like Gary and Kimberly, ARE 49ers backed. We know Elijah Lefkow is (trying and failing) to recruit candidates based on one question: “What do you think about Lisa Gilmore?” (Yes, we’ve heard) I find that hilarious, because Lisa is on her way out, Niners won’t have anyone but themselves to blame for how poorly managed the city is. The 49ers have spent years building relationships with PTA and education foundation folks to recruit them to run for these council seats. Bribing them with game day tickets and fake opportunities to support Santa Clara schools but it’s all a front.
So what’s the 49er scoop on Critchlow and Madaj since you know so much?
Critchlow is Karen’s pick to replace her. 49er candidate? Seeing school trustee Vickie Fairchild promoting Madaj and Williams is a red flag! I thought Madaj was one of the good guys.
Hello Sandy, I know Kyle Madej and we have spoken many times recently. He is dedicated to this city. He is the best candidate for District 3. He is one of the good guys. I do not see an issue with Vickie promoting Kyle. She wants the best person to serve her district and the city of Santa Clara. We should be happy that School Trustees are getting involved in this District 3 race. The School board and City Council need to work together, we have had too many years of divide. The is a good start.
Thanks dmkertes but it would be good to hear from the actual candidate. Kyle Madej.
Hi Sandy, I did not know this article or thread even existed until right now. I am Kyle Madej, happy to let everybody who does not know me get to know me or ask me questions or whatever helps everyone make the best decision they can for my district.
I am not a politician, Ive lived here my entire life and am not happy with the way things are. I have served this district by being on the board of Briarwood little league now for 13 years including President now for 5. My connection to Vickie is because the little league rents our fields from the school district. I am running because I feel compelled to run to try and do whatever I can to make my hometown better. I don’t have secret backers or ties to any of the sides this article and comments mention.
I don’t know how secure this message board is but my website is http://www.kyle4council.com, there is more info there and my contact email is there also.
Hi Sandy, this is Kyle Madej. I did not know this thread or article existed until today so I hope it did not seem like I was ignoring you. I am an open book, happy to answer any of your questions. I don’t know how secure this site is so Im not going to leave my phone number here but my email is coachkyle.mba@gmail.com.
Im not a career politician, Im 45 years old raising a family 6 blocks away from the house I grew up in and where my parents still live. Im born and raised in santa clara, I serve on the Board for the soccer league here, and Ive been on the Board for Briarwood little league here for 13 years now, President for the last 5. I need to do whatever is in my power to make our city better for the coming generations. I do not have any secret backing, no hidden agendas, and I am sincerely doing this because I want to help.
Looking forward to your email, I hope you have a great day.
Will try
Gary is backed by 49ers
Hey now is Karen divulging now?
I can tell you all the David Kertes and Kathy Watanabe are not backed by the 49ers nor will they be. We know which two have already been backed by Jed’s Army so that right there should tell you that if you want change to run from those two. I do not know about the others. If we truly want improvement within our city government the best thing we all can do an do is to vote for candidates not backed by Jed’s army. There are a couple good candidates in council races as well that are not 49er backed.
Good clarification, Dana. What about voting on the DT? Big issue in election. Doesn’t Kertes live in the DT? I see his signs prominently displayed at a house in DT and figure he lives there??
Yes, David lives in the Downtown old quad. He would not be able to vote on The city owned Parcel A and B, but that is the first part that would be done and RFP’s should be going out soon. This is something the City Manger needs to get done. Every other area of consideration (Court house and Franklin mall is over 1,000 feet away and he would be allowed to vote and discuss those issues. David has already come out in favor of revitalizing downtown and even mentioned the possibility of moving city hall to Parcel A and B to jump start the rebuild. He mentioned it at a council meeting and you can see the video on his website.
Robert, make it easy on us and tell the residents who has already agreed to sell out the city to Jed York in exchange for election support.
2 mayoral candidates, Park and Hardy are known sell-outs, who else? People should remember what happened to Anthony Becker. After all that election support, Becker returned the favor by providing hundreds of millions of dollars to Jed York from city contracts favoring the Niners.
The sell-outs should remember what Jed did to Anthony Becker in providing the key witness, 49er lobbyist Rahul Chandock, that led to his felony conviction. That will happen to all those who sell Santa Clara out for a campaign win. My advice is to earn the seat on your own so you are not “owned”.
I’d be curious if the current mayor, Lisa Gillmor, endorses anyone for mayor. 👍
Kevin Park’s personal life is a mess.
What makes him think he can run the City?
Santa Clara News can provide a real service: Create a table with a political history for each qualified candidate. Plain facts will provide plenty of information: What positions in office, for how long and voting record.
That is an excellent idea.