Mayor Matt Mahan and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and their supporters spent more than $12 million – nearly $50 for every vote cast – in the 2022 race for mayor of San Jose, according to updated reports filed this week with the city clerk.

In the latest reports, the two candidates reported they had paid most of their campaign debt and depleted most of the money in their bank accounts from the most expensive campaign in the city’s history.

Most of the spending in the unsuccessful Chavez campaign – which she lost by 6,047 votes of more than 250,000 cast – came from 10 independent political action committees. The 10 PACs supporting the supervisor spent nearly $5.8 million of a total of nearly $7.9 million, according to documents filed this week.

The two PACs that spent money to elect Mahan spent $1.97 million, while the mayor’s own campaign organization spent $2.38 million, according to documents filed this week. The Chavez campaign organization spent $2.1 million on the campaign.

A possible Chavez war chest?

Chavez has not ruled out a third bid for mayor, or a Sacramento seat in 2024 when her third and final supervisor term expires. She might have a head start for a future campaign, as at least one of the pro-Chavez PACs, the San Jose Firefighters Local 230 PAC, reported a Jan. 30 cash balance of $376,697. The Santa Clara County Government Attorneys’ Association reported $54,170 left in its coffers after spending $225,000 on the unsuccessful Chavez campaign. Altogether, the PACs that supported Chavez have a surplus war chest of nearly $500,000, according to their latest reports filed with the city clerk.

Her campaign reported a cash balance of $9,135 with $555 in outstanding debts. Mahan has more unfinished business, with $25,107 in cash, and $4,504 in outstanding campaign debts, as of Jan.31.

A closer examination of the PACs for the two candidates revealed that the Common Good Silicon Valley PAC, sponsored by the Solutions Silicon Valley (a fundraising non-profit created by former Mayor Sam Liccardo and others) spent more than $1.6 million to elect Mahan, and that another PAC created to oppose Chavez, Silicon Valley Biz PAC, spent $365,000.

Organized labor PACs – the AFL-CIO South Bay Labor Council and city police and firefighters unions – were the big spenders for Chavez, using money from individual union members as well as bundled gifts from big individual and corporate donors to amass more than $3.8 million in funds for the Chavez campaign.

Other PACs that supported her campaign included a San Francisco 49ers committee, which spent $736,305, and San Jose Together, led by Silicon Valley influencer Carl Guardino, which spent $512,689 attempting to get Chavez elected.

Spending reports also revealed that Mahan’s biggest direct contributor was the National Association of Realtors Fund, which donated $137,677 to the mayor’s campaign.

Here are highlights of the Mahan and Chavez campaign spending, plus their respective PACs:

Cindy Chavez

• $7.875 million spent by or for her campaign 
• $499,853 in the bank (all but $8,580 in PACs)

Cindy Chavez for Mayor 2022
$1,641,133 Total 2022 cash contributions
$2,101,503 total 2022 expenditures
$9,135 Cash balance
$555 Outstanding debts

South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council Committee on Political Education Sponsored by South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council (opposing Mahan)
$1,841,740 total 2022 contributions
$2,120,161 total 2022 expenditures
$31,202 Cash balance
$62,357 Outstanding debts

Association of Retired San Jose Police Officers and Firefighters PAC
$99,175 total 2022 contributions
$179,271 total 2022 expenditures
$12,726 Cash balance
$203 Outstanding debts

San Jose Police Officers’ Association PAC
$344,262 total 2022 contributions
$401,116 total 2022 expenditures
$53,210 Cash balance
$11,017 Outstanding debts

San Jose Firefighters, IAFF Local 230 Political Action Committee
$24,093 total 2022 contributions
$147,378 total 2022 expenditures
$376,697 Cash balance
0 Outstanding debts

A Better Way San Jose supporting Chavez for Mayor 2022 sponsored by the San Jose Police Officers' Association
$1,014,007 total 2022 contributions
$1,008,317 total 2022 expenditures
$21,275 Cash balance
$15,585 Outstanding debts

San Jose Together, Supporting Cindy Chavez for Mayor 2022
$512,689 total 2022 expenditures
0 Cash balance
0 Outstanding debts

Neighbors Together Supporting Cindy Chavez for Mayor 2022
$340,500 total 2022 contributions
$356,859 total 2022 expenditures
$16,251 Cash balance
$24,509 Outstanding debts

Citizens for Cindy Chavez, Mayor 2022, Sponsored by DeBartolo Corporation & Affiliated Entities, including Forty Niners Football Company, LLC
$736,604 total 2022 contributions
$736,604 total 2022 expenditures
0 Cash balance
0 Outstanding debts

Neighbors for a Diverse Community Supporting Cindy Chavez for San Jose Mayor 2022
$82,500 total 2022 contributions
$82,500 total 2022 expenditures
0 Cash balance
0 Outstanding debts

Santa Clara County Government Attorneys’ Association PAC
$93,150 total 2022 contributions
$237,050 total 2022 expenditures
$225,000 for Chavez
$54,170 Cash balance
0 Outstanding debts

____________________________________________________________

Matt Mahan

• $4.35 million spent by or for his campaign
• $20,603 in the bank ($124,670 in PACs): total, $145,273

Neighbors for Matt Mahan for Mayor 2022
$1,934,028 total 2022 contributions
$2,375,542 total 2022 expenditures
$25,107 Cash balance
$4,504 Outstanding debts

Silicon Valley Biz PAC (oppose Chavez)
$282,850 total 2022 contributions
$365,185 total 2022 expenditures
$61,922 Cash balance
0 Outstanding debts

Common Good Silicon Valley, Sponsored by Solutions Silicon Valley
$1,407,798 total 2022 contributions
$1,604,773 total 2022 expenditures
$87,004 Cash balance
$24,256 Outstanding debts