By Yiming Fu, a Report for America corps member
Hoping to represent Silicon Valley and be one of the first Asian American LGBTQ+ candidates in Congress, Evan Low is trailing by 20% points against former San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo for California’s 16th District house seat.
Low won 40.2% of the vote, or 74,992 votes with 50% of the vote counted. Liccardo won 59.7% of the vote with 111,524 votes. Incumbent Anna Eshoo did not seek re-election.
As mayor, Liccardo launched an effort to convert motels to housing in 2016, four years before the state of California adopted the model. Liccardo also started a program called San Jose Bridge, which employs unhoused residents to clean up the city in exchange for housing and pay.
Low, who represents Cupertino in the California State Assembly, became the first Asian American to serve on Campbell City Council when he was elected in 2006. He became the youngest openly LGBTQ+ mayor in the country at 26.
Low is known for his efforts to create a guaranteed income program in California and a constitutional amendment to protect marriage for LGBTQ+ couples. He has worked to protect abortion rights in California, and he penned to create an LGBTQ+ commission in California and passed bills to close California State Universities and community colleges during Lunar New Year.
Low is endorsed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, California Teacher’s Association, San Jose Firefighters and National Nurses United. He said in his campaign to prioritize safety and affordability in Congress and hopes to fight for America’s most vulnerable populations.
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