SAN JOSE — Seven candidates are vying to succeed Assemblywoman Nora Campos in the state’s 27th Assembly District, which covers most of south San Jose and the Evergreen area. But two local politicians have emerged as front-runners in securing campaign funding and high-profile supporters: Former San Jose Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen and current Councilman Ash Kalra.

“These two are the best known candidates in the district and their council positions covered parts of the district,” said Larry Gerston, a professor emeritus of political science at San Jose State. “Their name recognition immediately separates them from the others.”

Election Day is June 7, and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the November general election to replace Campos, a liberal Democrat who’s crafted policies to address homelessness and women’s rights. Campos, who also served on the San Jose City Council and has reached her Assembly term limit, is now challenging state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, in the primary election.

Although the District 27 race has been tame so far — only one attack mailer has gone out to voters — it has all the makings of a red-hot political fight next fall.

And like many other Silicon Valley races, it boils down to a clash between prominent business and labor interests, pitting the two leading Democrats against each other. With just one Republican running in the highly Democratic district and trailing in fundraising, the outcome isn’t expected to alter the political landscape in Sacramento.

Nguyen, 41, has the support of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, along with Mayor Sam Liccardo, Vice Mayor Rose Herrera and former Mayor Chuck Reed.

Kalra, 44, has endorsements from the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, state Sen. Jim Beall and Congressman Mike Honda.

Other contenders in the Assembly race are Santa Clara County Board of Education trustee Darcie Green; East Side Union High School District trustee Van Le; human rights activist and engineer Cong T. Do; attorney and former Alum Rock School District trustee Esau Herrera and Evergreen Valley College professor Andres Quintero, who once served as Campos’ district director.

As San Jose council members, Nguyen and Kalra clashed over how to deal with sharply rising retirement costs for city workers. Nguyen backed a successful ballot measure that sought to trim those benefits, while Kalra opposed it. The city is working to replace the measure with a negotiated settlement.

The Assembly race has been heavily funded by interest groups that have dropped more than a combined $1.1 million to support their favored candidates.

The California Farm Bureau’s political action committee spent $32,800 to support Nguyen. The California Charter Schools Association Advocates spent $946,145 to back her and $35,525 to oppose Kalra, according to state election filings.

Campaign mail from the group featured a picture of Kalra with the words “WANTED” scrawled on top — alleging Kalra is wanted for “hiking taxes on families and small businesses” — claims that Kalra disputes.

The mailer references a 2012 vote in which Kalra and four others supported a half-cent sales tax to fund city services including police, fire protection and roads. Nguyen was opposed. Kalra said he supported it, along with the city administration, because it would bring in much-needed revenue to restore services. The city now has a quarter-cent sales tax on the primary ballot.

Kalra’s supporters have not taken out hit pieces on Nguyen. One of his biggest backers, the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, spent $110,669.54 to promote him.

But the top two candidates are also raising a lot of dough on their own.

Nguyen has raised $153,798 through April.

Nguyen, who taught at various community colleges, served on the San Jose City Council from 2005 to 2014, including four years as vice mayor. She is one of three Vietnamese-American candidates in the race. Nguyen’s top priorities are education, job creation and housing affordability.

Kalra, who is being termed out on the City Council, raised $139,392 through April. An attorney who has represented District 2 on the San Jose council for eight years, Kalra said his top priorities are education, housing affordability and transportation.

Meanwhile, the other candidates are raising money, sending mailers and knocking on doors.

Herrera, 66, a Democrat who was endorsed by Campos’ mother and various school board leaders, raised $62,854 through April. Herrera said he would focus on affordable housing, creating clean energy jobs and making college affordable.

Quintero, 36, also a Democrat, has raised $21,865 through April. He is backed by Congressman Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz, and businessman Jose Calderon of Calderon’s Tires. His priorities are public safety, education and housing.

Le, 57, the only Republican in the race, reported raising $19,601 through April. She has garnered support from Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves, the county Republican Party and its chair, Bob Nunez. She said her focus is improving education, creating jobs and reducing housing costs.

Green, 34, who worked as a government relations manager for Kaiser, reported raising $13,964 through April. A Democrat, she won support from former Assemblyman Joe Coto, the California Latino Legislative Caucus, La Raza Roundtable and former Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado.

Green’s priorities are providing “excellent education” for children, improving access to affordable health care and creating economic opportunities.

Do, 57, a Democrat who is backed by organizations like the Vietnamese-American Voters and Little Saigon San Jose Foundation, raised $10,376 through April. His focus is on keeping jobs in California, housing affordability and transportation.

Gerston, who has been observing the race, said Nguyen will likely benefit from a traditionally low voter-turnout in June, in which voters tend to lean more conservative. But a higher turnout in the general election will help Kalra.

Gerston predicted the contest will heat up after October.

“It has every potential of becoming a very feisty race,” he said.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at 408-920-5705. Follow her at Twitter.com/ramonagiwargis.