California's 16th Congressional District includes much of San Mateo County. On Nov. 3 it's Democratic Rep. Sam Liccardo against Republican Peter Sundin Soulé, listed on the certified ballot list as "Investor."

The numbers

  • 75.6%: Liccardo's June primary share (139,399 votes), per Ballotpedia.
  • 10.8%: Soulé's share (19,841), which edged fellow Republican Kevin Johnson (10.2%, 18,807) for the second spot by about 1,000 votes.
  • 3.4%: no-party-preference candidate Jotham Stein.
  • 184,366: total primary votes.
  • 2024: Liccardo won the seat in a Democrat-vs.-Democrat general against Evan Low.
  • 2015–2022: Liccardo's years as San Jose mayor, per the Redwood City Pulse.

Liccardo

Liccardo has been in Congress since January 2025. He's a lawyer with degrees from Georgetown and Harvard Law School. His campaign says his focus is housing supply and affordability, lower health care costs and bipartisan legislation, the Pulse reports.

Soulé

His campaign page describes him as a San Jose investor who worked in his family's steel business in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He has managed commercial properties covering 10 acres in San Francisco and has accounting and finance experience. He wants to cut government regulation and spending, oppose local limits on Second Amendment rights and represent farmers' interests.

Next door, Rep. Kevin Mullin faces a first-time Republican candidate: our CA-15 story.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.

More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.