Herrera Wins SJ City Council Re-Election Bid Despite Pension Reform Support
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) - San Jose City Councilwoman Rose Herrera won re-election on Tuesday in a tough race where opponents made an issue of her support for pension reform.
With 100 percent precincts reporting, Herrera held a 55 to 45 percent margin in the District 8 race over challenger Jimmy Nguyen, who enjoyed support from labor unions.
"My community came together to support me," Herrera said.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
Herrera faced intense opposition from public employee unions that were unhappy with her support of San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed's pension reform Measure B, which was approved by voters in June and is now the subject of lawsuits in both state and federal court.
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"The other side has spent about a million dollars trying to punish me for supporting pension reform," Herrera said.
Had Nguyen won, Herrera said, the change could have had a significant impact on the future of pension reform.
"It's only been a slim majority that has kept the measure moving forward," Herrera said.
The District 8 council seat was not the only one up for grabs this election. In District 10, Johnny Khamis appears to have triumphed over Robert Braunstein to replace outgoing Councilwoman Nancy Pyle.
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