The 2024 California's 16th congressional district election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the United States representative for California's 16th congressional district. The election was held concurrently with elections for the other U.S. House districts in California and the rest of the country, as well as the 2024 U.S. Senate race in California, other elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The primary election was held on March 5, 2024, concurrently with the Super Tuesday presidential primaries.
The 16th district is an urban/suburban district based in Silicon Valley, including portions of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, extending from the southwestern San Francisco Bay Area through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Pacific coast. Its largest cities are San Jose, Mountain View, and Palo Alto. Joe Biden won the district with 75.4% of the vote in the 2020 presidential election, making it a safe Democratic district.
The incumbent prior to the election was Democrat Anna Eshoo, who was re-elected with 57.8% of the vote in 2022 running against another Democrat. She did not seek re-election in 2024. A wide field of 11 candidates filed for the race to succeed her, with 9 Democrats and 2 Republicans joining the race. The primary election was very close, with initial returns showing a heated battle for the two spots in the general election. A week after the primary, media outlets reported that former San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo had taken first place. However, it was unclear which candidate he would face in the general election, as state assemblyman Evan Low and Santa Clara County supervisor Joe Simitian repeatedly traded the second-place position during the vote tabulation process.
By April 3, Low and Simitian had tied with 30,249 votes each in the final account, and both were expected to advance to the general election under a stipulation by California elections code regarding a second-place tie in primary elections. However, a recount was requested by two voters shortly thereafter. The recount request was controversial, with Low's campaign accusing Liccardo of being behind it, an accusation which was vehemently denied by Liccardo's campaign. At the conclusion of the recount on May 1, Low ultimately edged out Simitian by a margin of 5 votes, with Low gaining 12 votes and Simitian 7. As required by federal law, the source of the recount funds was later revealed to be a pro-Liccardo super PAC funded almost entirely by billionaire Michael Bloomberg.
On November 6, the Associated Press called the race for Liccardo. Low conceded the same day.
The primary results marked the second time since California transitioned to a nonpartisan blanket primary system in 2012 in which there was a second-place tie in a primary election and a potential three-candidate general election, the first being the 2016 election for California's 62nd State Assembly district.
Primary election
Candidates Advanced to general Sam Liccardo (Democratic), former mayor of San Jose (2015–2023) Evan Low (Democratic), state assemblyman (2014–present)
Initially advanced to general but eliminated after recount Joe Simitian (Democratic), Santa Clara County supervisor (1996–2000, 2013–present) and former state senator (2004–2012)
Eliminated in primary Joby Bernstein (Democratic), financial advisor and graduate student Peter Dixon (Democratic), cybersecurity executive and former U.S. State Department staffer Rishi Kumar (Democratic), former Saratoga city councilor and runner-up for this district in 2020 and 2022 Julie Lythcott-Haims (Democratic), Palo Alto city councilor Ahmed Mostafa (Democratic), attorney Peter Ohtaki (Republican), former mayor of Menlo Park and perennial candidate Karl Ryan (Republican), businessman Greg Tanaka (Democratic), Palo Alto city councilor and candidate for this district in 2022
Declined Josh Becker (Democratic), state senator (2020–present) (ran for re-election) Marc Berman (Democratic), state assemblyman (2016–present) (ran for re-election) Anna Eshoo (Democratic), incumbent U.S. representative (endorsed Simitian)
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of February 14, 2024CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handJoby Bernstein (D)$140,836$59,832$81,003Peter Dixon (D)$2,792,923$1,894,060$898,862Rishi Kumar (D)$289,503$186,637$101,756Sam Liccardo (D)$2,206,228$988,382$1,217,845Evan Low (D)$1,369,551$1,024,180$345,371Julie Lythcott-Haims (D)$595,779$443,035$152,744Ahmed Mostafa (D)$201,773$127,469$74,303Joe Simitian (D)$951,156$932,783$588,744Greg Tanaka (D)$15,080$13,182$1,898Peter Ohtaki (R)$54,169$32,982$21,187Source: Federal Election Commission
Endorsements
U.S. representatives Jason Crow, CO-06 (2019–present) Don Davis, NC-01 (2023–present) Chris Deluzio, PA-17 (2023–present) Jared Golden, ME-02 (2019–present) Seth Moulton, (2015–present) Pat Ryan, NY-18 (2022–present) Mikie Sherrill, NJ-11 (2019–present)
Organizations VoteVets With Honor Fund </div></div>
U.S. representatives Linda Sánchez, CA-38 (2003–present)
Local officials Matt Mahan, mayor of San Jose (2023–present)
Organizations CHC BOLD PAC Everytown for Gun Safety
Newspapers East Bay Times The Mercury News San Francisco Chronicle </div></div>
U.S. senators Cory Booker, U.S. Senator from New Jersey (2013–present)
U.S. representatives Lois Frankel, U.S. representative from Florida (2013–present)
Organizations EMILY's List LPAC </div></div>
Organizations Hindu American PAC </div></div>
U.S. senators Laphonza Butler, U.S. senator from California (2023–present)
Statewide officials Eleni Kounalakis, lieutenant governor of California (2019–present) Ricardo Lara, California Insurance Commissioner (2019–present) Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer (2019–present)
U.S. representatives Becca Balint, VT-AL (2023–present) Judy Chu, CA-28 (2009–present) Jimmy Gomez, CA-34 (2017–present) Pramila Jayapal, WA-07 (2017–present) Ro Khanna, CA-17 (2017–present) Mark Pocan, WI-02 (2013–present) Jamie Raskin, MD-08 (2017–present) Mark Takano, CA-39 (2013–present) Jill Tokuda, HI-02 (2023–present) Ritchie Torres, NY-15 (2021–present)
State legislators Rich Gordon, state assemblymember from the 24th district (2010–2016)
County officials Ken Yeager, former Santa Clara County supervisor (2006–2018)
Judges LaDoris Cordell, former California Superior Court judge
Organizations AAPI Victory Fund ASPIRE PAC Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC Equality California Equality PAC LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Labor unions Association of Flight Attendants California Federation of Labor California Professional Firefighters IBEW Locals 617 and 1245 National Nurses United South Bay Labor Council
Newspapers Bay Area Reporter </div></div>
Organizations Emgage PAC </div></div>
Local officials Carl DeMaio, former San Diego city councilor (2008–2012)
Organizations California College Republicans </div></div>
Political parties American Independent Party</div></div>
U.S. representatives Anna Eshoo, CA-16 (1993–present)
Organizations Clean Water Action Sierra Club
Labor unions California Teachers Association National Education Association United Farm Workers
Newspapers Palo Alto Daily Post </div></div>
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error RishiKumar (D) SamLiccardo (D) EvanLow (D) Julie Lythcott-Haims (D) PeterOhtaki (R) KarlRyan (R) JoeSimitian (D) Other UndecidedProblosky ResearchProblosky Research January 21–28, 2024 400 (LV) ± 5% 7.5%16% 7.3% 4% 2.5% 6.5%13.3% 9.4%33.8%RMG ResearchRMG Research January 3–4, 2024 426 (LV) ± 4.76%13%11%5%2%—12%2%46%Public Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D) November 2023 400 (LV) ?7%16%5%—6%9%12%11%33%
Initial certified results
Recount and involvement of Liccardo super PACs Santa Clara and San Mateo counties certified the primary results on April 4. The Los Angeles Times pointed out that Low and Simitian had no incentive to request a recount, which could potentially lock them out of the general election. Both campaigns released statements indicating that they intend to compete in the general election. However, local media reported that a poll had been sent to voters testing a three-way race as well as two-way races between Liccardo and each of his opponents, leading to speculation that Liccardo's campaign would ask for a recount. On April 9, officials in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties confirmed that two residents of the district had requested a recount: Jonathan Padilla, who was finance director on Liccardo's 2014 mayoral campaign and donated $1,000 to his 2024 congressional campaign, and Pacifica resident Dan Stegink. Stegink later withdrew his request.
Low's campaign alleged that Liccardo was behind the requests, which they called "a page right out of Trump's political playbook using dirty tricks to attack democracy and subvert the will of the voters." Liccardo's campaign denied responsibility, though they maintained the recount was necessary, saying "every vote should be counted." Padilla, a "longtime Silicon Valley political insider," did not answer questions from local media about the source of the funds for the costly recount. Eshoo, who endorsed Simitian, called for transparency in the recount process. In his recount request, Padilla wrote that he was "not coordinating or communicating with any candidate or candidates' agents" and made "this request on behalf of Evan Low." However, Low's campaign reaffirmed that he did not support the recount and called Padilla's statement "disingenuous."
Padilla submitted a $12,000 deposit for the recount on April 12. He opted for a machine recount, in which ballots are re-screened by a machine, rather than a much more expensive manual recount, in which volunteers would count each ballot by hand. Election officials estimated the cost of the machine recount at around $80,000, whereas a manual recount could have cost upwards of $400,000. The recount began on April 15.
According to reporting by KNTV, the recount is being funded by $12,000 checks from the newly-formed super PAC "Count the Vote" signed by James Sutton, an attorney who had previously represented Liccardo. On April 19, Santa Clara County Government Attorneys Association president Max Zarzana filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the Liccardo campaign concocted a "secret scheme to illegally coordinate with a newly-formed dark money Super PAC to do his CD-16 recount bidding" and noted Liccardo's past connections with those involved in requesting the recount. Zarzana also highlighted Liccardo's history of "backroom deals" including violations of the California Public Records Act for which he was previously fined $500,000.
The results of the recount were finalized on May 1, with Low advancing to the general election and Simitian eliminated by a 5-vote margin, 30,261 to 30,256. On May 2, the Liccardo campaign shared internal poll results showing him with a 10-point lead over Low in a two-way race, compared with just a 5-point lead in a three-way race. The poll was completed on April 8, the day before the recount was requested.