Friends,
Below is a rundown of recent media in which I was included. Feel free to use these clips on social media or forward around to your network if you are so inclined.
I’ll be forwarding more along as the campaign progresses.
We are just getting started.
Irene
P.S. If you don’t want to receive this type of update, just let me know and of course I will take you off of this list.
TV INTERVIEWS (2)
1. San Jose City Council approves special election to fill Omar Torres’ seat 11/19/24
Resident Irene Smith, who ran against Torres and lost two years ago, plans to run again and does not want an appointment.
“If any district deserved an election, it would be (District 3) right now, at this moment. We’ve been through a lot,” said Smith. “We want somebody who has the interest of the people. That put their interests first. Who’s willing to work relentlessly and implement the will of the people.”
2. Plans to replace disgraced councilman 11/7/24
“We need somebody that’s 100% behind D3. Because in the past, there have been folks that have used D3 as a platform to get to the next job. And lots of times D3 has been left behind,” said former District 3 council candidate Irene Smith.
On Wednesday, she wrote to fellow residents urging the city council to hold a special election to fill Torres’ seat.
“We need to come together as neighbors, friends, and colleagues and rebuild our shattered body politics…We need to demand an election,” she wrote.
SJCC VIDEO 11/19/24
Nov 19, 2024 – Irene Smith addresses SJ City Council
MERCURY NEWS
Proposal to replace Omar Torres 11/13/24
“The upcoming vacancy is the result of widespread rejection of the councilmember by D3 voters, our City Council, and by his endorsers–not a vacancy caused (as during 2022’s appointments) by a popular (councilmember) moving on to another elected office,” said resident Irene Smith, who lost to Torres in the 2022 general election. “The only way to rectify this widespread repudiation of Torres is to re-establish trust through an election process. Any form of City Hall appointment could very easily become a backroom deal that will take away our district’s independence and sovereignty.”
SAN JOSE SPOTLIGHT
Here’s who’s vying to be downtown San Jose’s next councilmember 11/10/24
Smith, a pro-tem judge for Santa Clara County, has been outspoken in her calls for a special election.
“With Omar Torres’ resignation, we need to come together as neighbors, friends and colleagues and rebuild our shattered … unity. That means one thing, and one thing only: We need to demand an election. By D3. For D3. Focused only on D3,” Smith wrote in a letter to neighbors. “And don’t try to sell us a temporary appointment decided by councilmembers who do not even live in D3.”
Smith lost to Torres in the 2022 election. At the time, Smith ran as an independent with support from the Silicon Valley Business PAC, Santa Clara County Association of Realtors, and elected officials such as Councilmember Dev Davis and former Councilmember Johnny Khamis.
“District 3 can no longer tolerate being the junkyard for San Jose or the county. I am running as a lifelong independent, unaffiliated with major parties and City Hall cabals,” Smith told San José Spotlight.
She said her priorities include refocusing the city’s homelessness strategy on core services, forming an office of “public outreach and community inclusion” and working to give councilmembers more say over how resources are allocated to their districts.
Special Election MEDIUM ARTICLES