FORMER SAN JOSE Mayor Sam Liccardo and California Assemblymember Evan Low traded razor-sharp rebukes of each others’ records on climate, public safety and housing in a tense one-hour debate for Silicon Valley’s hottest congressional race.
The candidates for Congressional District 16 were initially all smiles at NBC Bay Area’s San Jose studio on Oct. 11. But the gloves came off when moderators asked Liccardo and Low if they were running ethical campaigns amid a highly contentious recount, endorsement jockeying and dueling election transparency complaints.
Both maintained their congressional bids have been ethical. Liccardo — who is accused of and has denied secretly coordinating the recount following the March primary — said the lack of an automatic recount provision in state election law opened the door for political theater.
“We had Evan Low and his attorneys attempting to stop a recount twice,” Liccardo said. “(Low) admitted in a public forum on June 14 in Los Altos that he did it because he thought he might lose if he had a full recount. Let’s make sure we count every vote. It should be funded by the Registrar (of Voters), and in this case, it couldn’t because of legal issues.”
Low said his campaign abides “by the most ethical standards” and turned his response into an attack on Liccardo’s public safety record.
“When he was mayor of San Jose on the City Council, he implemented a plan that dismantled public employees and public safety,” Low said. “In fact, 500 police officers left because he instituted his public safety plan. As a result, he had to declare a state of emergency because of rising crime rates.”
The state of emergency was about a police staffing shortage. As a councilmember, Liccardo in 2012 pushed for voter-approved Measure B, which aimed to reduce the city’s growing pension debt. But it drastically cut benefits and pensions for the city’s police and firefighters.
Liccardo responded that he was being “smart on crime” and insisted the San Jose Police Department added 200 officers during his time leading the city. He criticized Low for being too close with police unions and opposing laws such as Senate Bill 1421, which in 2018 allowed more disclosure of police misconduct, sexual assault and excessive use of force records.
Divided on stiffer penalties for retail, drug crimes
Moderators asked both candidates for their stances on Proposition 36, a statewide ballot measure that if approved by voters would ramp up criminal punishment for retail theft and drug crimes. Liccardo said he supports it. Low said he did not.
“I refuse to go back to the era of mass incarceration,” Low said.
Liccardo said arrest does not mean incarceration.
“It’s interesting that Evan Low made mention of incarceration, because his support for private prisons has been remarkable,” Liccardo said.
The candidates faced questions on their plans to build affordable housing. Liccardo said he supported an expanded tax credit program to transform vacant office buildings and retail into housing. He also called for exempting older homes from capital gains taxes to incentivize homeowners to sell.
“We have a fundamental supply problem and we need to reduce the cost and price by producing more housing,” Liccardo said.
Low again turned his response to the question into an attack on Liccardo’s record — holding the former mayor responsible for increased homelessness and no measurable results on housing. Liccardo countered that a state audit this year found California lawmakers failed to account for billions in homelessness program spending.
Low promised to partner on housing with presidential candidate Kamala Harris if she’s elected.
“In Congress, I will partner on the Democratic Party ticket along with Kamala Harris in implementing 3 million new homes to be built, including $25,000 tax credits for first-time homebuyers,” Low said.
Climate discussion fuels discord
Moderators also asked the candidates about the climate crisis. Liccardo took aim at Low’s hefty support from oil and gas companies, as well as PG&E. Low hit back, calling out Liccardo’s support from Texas philanthropists who worked in the oil business.
Liccardo called for federally-backed financing to help homeowners weather proof their homes. One example he drew was helping people in wildfire-prone areas to replace wood shingle roofs and install ceiling sprinklers.
His efforts to explore community choice energy utilities and combat PG&E have earned him broad support among climate activists.
“The Sierra Club has endorsed me. The League of Conservation Voters has endorsed me,” Liccardo said. “Every single environmental organization has in this race endorsed me.”
Low drew on his record.
“In the Legislature I’ve led efforts making sure that in California we have zero emission vehicles by 2035, a clean electric grid by 2045,” Low said. “In fact I just left the special session in the California state Legislature holding oil companies accountable for price gouging, so I’m deeply committed.”
The election is Nov. 5.
Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This story originally appeared in San Jose Spotlight.