But recently, Hennessy\u2019s endorsement disappeared from Altwer\u2019s campaign website. Hennessy said he requested his endorsement be taken down because he never offered it. He attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding between Altwer<\/a> and himself rather than deliberate misrepresentation.<\/p>\n \u201cI never really told her to put my picture up there,\u201d Hennessy told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n Hennessy<\/a>, who runs an auto restoration business, said he believes the misunderstanding stemmed from a phone conversation between himself and Altwer following the election. On the call, Hennessy said he told Altwer she was the strongest candidate remaining in the race, explaining that Altwer\u2019s policy priorities better align with his own.<\/p>\n To Hennessy\u2019s surprise, he later received a phone call from a political associate informing him that his name had appeared on Altwer\u2019s endorsement lists. He said he received at least six more calls from people active in San Jose politics, including several from the city\u2019s labor-aligned political bloc, asking him to explain his apparent endorsement.<\/p>\n Hennessy said he contacted Altwer\u2019s campaign last week to ask that his picture be taken down.<\/p>\n \u201cI said, \u2018I never used the word endorsing, Genny. Endorsing\u2019s a bigger deal,\u2019\u201d Hennessy said. \u201cI kind of felt if I\u2019m not in the political scene anymore, then I shouldn\u2019t be political.\u201d<\/p>\n A representative for Altwer\u2019s campaign did not contest Hennessy\u2019s account, but declined to comment on the incident. Instead, Altwer sent a written statement to this news organization celebrating her other endorsements, which now include San Jose Vice Mayor Pam Foley \u2014 who backed her chief of staff<\/a> Scott Hughes in the June primary \u2014 and Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m honored that they all believe, like so many neighbors and friends, that I\u2019m the strongest candidate to get the job done for our families on housing affordability, homelessness and crime,\u201d Altwer told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThat\u2019s my focus in this race.\u201d<\/p>\n A representative for Chester\u2019s campaign declined to comment.<\/p>\n The race to represent District 9, which encompasses several suburban neighborhoods in San Jose\u2019s southwestern corner, is the city\u2019s only open contest this election cycle. The winner will replace Foley after she terms out in December.<\/p>\n Altwer\u2019s June 17 announcement of new endorsements also celebrated political backing from San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Congressman Sam Liccardo. While by no means the biggest name on the list, an endorsement from\u00a0Hennessy, who drew 17.8% of the vote in June, might have moved a significant number of his voters over to Altwer in the November runoff.<\/p>\n Altwer, a licensed marriage and family therapist, held 35.5% of the primary vote in the final tally. Chester, a longtime city employee in the Public Works department, won 22.2% and is endorsed by District 4 Councilmember David Cohen, state Sen. Dave Cortese and the Santa Clara County Democratic Party.<\/p>\n During the primary, Chester and Hennessy shared a dual endorsement from the South Bay Labor Council, raising the possibility that an official Hennessy endorsement for Altwer could have muddled the political messaging for labor-aligned groups backing Chester in the runoff.<\/p>\n![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/interactive-321838904008.png\")
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