Retiring U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo has weighed in on the race to replace her in Congress — and she’s picking Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian.
Simitian announced the news of Eshoo’s endorsement in the District 16 race Wednesday morning, calling it “solid gold.” The longtime congresswoman announced late last year that she wouldn’t be seeking re-election after more than three decades in Congress, spurring a long list of political hopefuls to take their shot at the open seat. The district includes parts of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties including Atherton, Menlo Park, Pacifica, Mountain View, Saratoga, Los Gatos and parts of San Jose.
In a statement, Eshoo called the district a “special place” and said it “deserves a top notch representative in Congress who can best mirror its values, advance the hopes and aspirations of its people, honor our Constitution, strengthen our democracy and possess the broad experience to be the most trusted person to represent its people and all its communities.”
She said that while many “good people” vying for her seat, Simitian has “the ability to best represent us,” adding that he is full of integrity and determination and has the experience needed for Congress.
“Joe has served as a school trustee,” she said. “He served on a city council and was a mayor. He served in our state legislature as an assemblyman and state senator, and as a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. He is a seasoned and effective legislator who has earned the support of over 150 locally elected officials.”
Simitian in a statement said he was “enormously grateful” for the representatives endorsement.
“Congresswoman Anna Eshoo knows the people of our region,” he said. “She knows my work. And she knows what it takes to get the job done in Congress.”
The supervisor started the race with $680,000 in campaign cash on hand, having formed his committee for Congress, Friends of Simitian, back in 2009.
Other candidates running for the highly coveted seat include former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Cupertino), Palo Alto City Councilmember Julie Lythcott-Haims, tech entrepreneur Peter Dixon, ex-Saratoga City Councilmember Rishi Kumar, Stanford graduate student Joby Bernstein and attorney Ahmed Mostafa. Two Republicans are also vying for the seat: Menlo Park Mayor Peter Ohtaki and Karl Ryan.
Source: www.mercurynews.com