Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is leading in Silicon Valley’s hottest congressional race over state Assemblymember Evan Low in an unprecedented showdown between two powerful, liberal Bay Area politicians.
As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, early results show Liccardo leading with 59.8% of the vote, bumping Low to second place with 40.2% of the vote for Congressional District 16 between Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Voter turnout in Santa Clara County is just more than 40.4%. Voter turnout in San Mateo County is at 40%.
Liccardo took the stage around 9 p.m. as early results showed him leading over Low. He called for national unity as early presidential results favored former President Donald Trump — and noted how his own congressional race was filled with “disagreements.”
“Our campaign is about disagreeing better,” Liccardo told the crowd. “We all have a lot more work to do — together.”
Hundreds of Liccardo’s supporters — roughly 750 RSVPs — gallivanted between local political gossip and anxious commentary on the presidential election results under the flame of heat lamps and outdoor lights at Suspiro in Santana Row.
Former Federal Elections Commissioner Ann Ravel called the former mayor’s win a “win for the community” on the heels of a highly contentious and at times negative campaign for the congressional district.
“He’s a person who isn’t running for office for his own self interests as a lot of people do,” Ravel told San José Spotlight. “He’s actually concerned about issues in the community and I think the congressional seat is in good hands.”
Low seemed in good spirits about his campaign as he left the Democratic Volunteer Center after 10:30 p.m. He thanked the county Registrar of Voters workers, who were “making sure that every vote counts.”
“I’ve been here before, so I very much know that this is part of the process,” he told San José Spotlight. “Leading all the way up to close to 8 o’clock, we were still getting out the vote and talking to as many voters as possible.”
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said the race is too early to call, with many ballots left to count.
“Evan is such an exceptional public servant,” Chavez told San José Spotlight. “I hope the young people who are coming out to vote and sending their ballots late are appreciating him, and see the opportunity for, frankly, a new generation.”
Liccardo — a 54-year-old former prosecutor of Sicilian, Irish and Mexican descent — was the 65th mayor of Northern California’s largest city, steering it from 2015 to 2023 during the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, a homelessness crisis and a mass shooting at VTA. In his bid for a congressional district spanning Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, Liccardo’s policy platform takes the form of an 80-page book, outlining priorities that include making housing more affordable, combatting homelessness, gun violence and a climate crisis — and reducing Silicon Valley’s cost of living.
Liccardo lists endorsements from environmental advocacy groups such as California Environmental Voters, the Sierra Club and 350 Bay Area Action. He’s also been endorsed by gun control advocacy groups and newspapers such as the San Francisco Chronicle and Mercury News.
Russ Krapf, a San Jose resident of 43 years, said Liccardo is better suited over Low to take on Washington, D.C.
“He has managed through complex issues and demonstrated how to make the right kind of compromise between city budgets and unions,” Krapf told San José Spotlight.
Low, 41, has spent a decade building power in Sacramento — making a move for the Assembly speakership and garnering a formidable donor base of tech leaders and equality groups. The son of an optometrist with degrees from De Anza Community College and San Jose State University made history in Campbell when he became the youngest Asian American mayor in the country. He aims to be the first LGBTQ+ and Chinese American member of Congress from the Bay Area.
Low’s endorsements include labor unions such as the California Labor Federation, Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165, California Teachers Association and National Nurses United. Other endorsements include the California Democratic Party and the LGBTQ+ political fundraising group, Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee.
Former Cupertino Mayor Dolly Sandoval first met Low while he served on the Campbell City Council, and she said she was thrilled when he decided to run for Congress. There are still many votes to be counted and Sandoval said the campaign isn’t “throwing in the towel right now.”
“I have faith that we just have to wait for every vote to be counted and make sure that every voter has their say,” Sandoval told San José Spotlight.
It’s been a bitter and unusual fight for the seat held by retiring Congressmember Anna Eshoo. A historic tie in the primaries sparked a contentious recount that left Liccardo and Low bumping heads with negative campaigning, endorsement jockeying, heated debates and dueling FEC complaints.
Liccardo has maintained a large fundraising gap of $2 million over Low leading up to Election Day. He raised more than $5.4 million in total during his campaign, while Low has raised more than $3.4 million.
Beyond their campaigns, both candidates have gotten millions in independent support. Liccardo received a total $2 million independent spending boost from out-of-state billionaire Michael Bloomberg. Yet Low also saw independent support from the state’s largest corporate landlord group and the widely-rebuked electric utility, PG&E.
Both candidates are tight with established Silicon Valley political circles. But they differ on key issues such as Proposition 36, a statewide ballot measure which would ramp up criminal punishment for petty theft if approved in the election. Liccardo has come out in support of the measure, while Low said he’s against it.
The candidates have clashed intensely on public safety. Low blitzed Liccardo’s record on police staffing in San Jose which shrank to emergency levels after Liccardo championed pension reforms. Liccardo, meanwhile, has hammered Low for his support from local and statewide police unions — and for voting against the disclosure of police misconduct records in the Assembly.
Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This story originally appeared in San José Spotlight.