Sam Liccardo defeats Evan Low in contentious Silicon Valley House race

Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo won the race for California’s 16th congressional district, defeating fellow Democrat Evan Low in one of the most expensive and divisive intraparty battles this election cycle. Despite

How it happened: As of 1:15 p.m. EST on Thursday, Liccardo had secured 59.9% of the vote (117,905 votes) compared to Low’s 40.1% (79,079 votes), according to Decision Desk HQ. The Associated Press called the race earlier at 7:57 p.m. EST on Wednesday, but Liccardo, while grateful, refrained from declaring victory and acknowledged the challenges ahead given potential Republican control of the White House and Congress. Low conceded on Wednesday evening, thanking his supporters and stating, “Although the outcome of the election is not one we hoped for, I am proud of the people-first campaign that we ran, focusing on the very real issues that affect the daily lives of CD-16 voters.” He expressed continued commitment to improving lives in Silicon Valley and graciously acknowledged Liccardo, saying, “His success will be our success here.”
How they campaigned: The race tested Big Tech’s influence versus labor unions, with Liccardo portraying himself as a moderate ally of Silicon Valley’s innovation economy. He faced harsh attacks from Low, who criticized Liccardo’s record as San Jose mayor, particularly his pension reform policies, which Low argued weakened the city’s public safety workforce. Low, who positioned himself as a progressive candidate backed by labor unions and endorsed by Newsom, emphasized protecting California values. However, Liccardo’s fundraising supremacy, outraising Low by over $2 million, allowed him to launch aggressive ad campaigns highlighting Low’s environmental record. Liccardo on Wednesday evening shared his vision for defending democratic institutions and fighting for reproductive and immigrant rights, saying, “We are going to need to step up to defend democratic institutions, to defend our immigrant communities, to defend reproductive rights and other rights – I will be fighting to do that.”

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