In the crowded race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has come out on top in his first congressional fundraising haul, pulling in nearly twice as much campaign cash as his competitors.
The District 16 race, which encompasses parts of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, is a rare chance for congressional hopefuls in Silicon Valley looking to propel themselves to Washington D.C. without battling an incumbent. Eshoo announced last year that she was retiring after serving more than three decades in Congress.
Liccardo raised the most money out of 11 candidates last quarter, bringing in more than $1.6 million. As of Dec. 31, 2023, his campaign had spent $94,048 and had roughly $1.5 million in the bank.
“It’s clear voters and residents are responding to Sam’s call for Congress to do more to address homelessness, crime and the high cost of living,” a spokesperson for Liccardo’s campaign said. “We are grateful for the support of thousands of residents who have joined our campaign through donating and volunteering their time, and our momentum continues to grow as we head into early voting.”
Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Cupertino) came in a distant second, raising $875,227. Low, who served in the state legislature for nearly a decade, is hoping to be the first openly LGBTQ congressmember to represent the Bay Area. His campaign has spent $51,374, with $837,518 on hand at the end of last year, giving himself a roughly $13,000 loan.
In a statement, Low’s campaign spokesperson Clay Volino touted his support, stating that “he’s earned more congressional endorsements than any other candidate.” Low’s lengthy list of endorsements include Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, Mark Takano, D-Riverside, Ritchie Torres, D-NY, and newly appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-CA.
“Evan’s strong financial base combined with grassroots enthusiasm and institutional support means he is well-positioned to win in March,” Volino said.
Despite being a new name in politics, tech entrepreneur and veteran Peter Dixon was the third biggest fundraiser last quarter with $856,674. He spent $169,691 and had more than $1.2 million in cash at the end of the year with a loan from himself worth $575,000.
“As a lifelong public servant, rather than a career politician, I’m humbled by the groundswell of support from friends and neighbors that gives us the momentum to break through in a crowded, lighting-fast primary,” Dixon said.
The Marine Corps veteran, who worked in Hillary Clinton’s State Department, defended his more than half-a-million-dollar loan, stating that he’s “proud to be co-investing hard-earned money in fighting to represent the people of my home district.”
Dixon has also received an equal amount of endorsements as Low from current congressmembers, including U.S. Reps. Jason Crow, D-CO, Mikie Sherrill, D-NJ, and Seth Moulton, D-MA — all of whom are also veterans.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who is considered one of the frontrunners in the race as he’s represented a large part of the congressional district for decades, raised $443,075 last quarter. Simitian snagged Eshoo’s coveted endorsement last month and started the race with more than $600,000 in campaign cash from the committee he formed, Friends of Simitian, in 2009. At the end of last year, he had $996,834 in the bank.
Simitian’s campaign manager, Kilian Mallon, said in an email that “the campaign is right where it needs to be financially and has the resources to communicate Joe Simitian’s issues and plans to serve the district in Congress.”
“The campaign is proud that the overwhelming number of donors are local and connected to the community,” Mallon said. “We look forward to continuing to tell the voters why over 200 locally elected officials, organizations and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo believe that Joe is the best choice to represent our communities in Congress.”
Larry Gerston, a professor emeritus of political science at San Jose State University, said that Low and Simitian both need to “scramble” after Liccardo raised $1.6 million. But while “money never hurts,” the local political observer said it isn’t everything in the tight race.
“We don’t want to make too much out of it, because it’s early,” he said. “What matters is getting into the top two.”
With a little over a month to go before the primary — where the top two will go on to the general election in November — Gerston said that name recognition is key. While Dixon pulled in the second-most amount of cash last quarter, the professor said his “pecking order may not be indicative of how the race ends” because he’s lesser known than Liccardo, Low and Simitian.
Palo Alto City Councilwoman Julie Lythcott-Haims — a newcomer to politics who was elected in 2022 — rounded out the pack of front runners, raising $374,870 last quarter. The former Stanford dean and author spent $43,791 in the race last year and had $331,079 on hand as of Dec. 31, 2023.
In a press release, Lythcott-Haims said she was “honored” to earn the support of people in the district.
“I haven’t been preparing to run for this seat for decades,” she said. “I’m not a career politician. It’s clear to me that voters in this district don’t want the politics of the past, they want a candidate for the future.”
Lythcott-Haims is the only woman in the race and is championing issues such as protecting abortion access, common sense gun control and affordable health care.
Of the remaining candidates, Stanford graduate student Joby Bernstein raised $108,306.51, and attorney Ahmed Mostafa raised $125,754. Republican and former Menlo Park Mayor Peter Ohtaki raised $6,569. Republican Karl Ryan did not report any money. Filings for ex-Saratoga City Councilmember Rishi Kumar and Palo Alto City Councilmember Greg Tanaka were not available at the time of publication; both individuals have run for the congressional seat in the past.
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