Sam Liccardo is passionate about holding the fossil fuel industry accountable and addressing the impacts of the climate crisis in Northern California and across the country.
Liccardo was born and raised in the Bay Area, and earned a degree in government from Georgetown University and both a master’s in public policy and a J.D. from Harvard University. Before entering politics, he served as a criminal prosecutor in the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office. In 2006, Liccardo was elected to the San Jose City Council, where he championed affordable housing and climate action. In 2014, Liccardo was elected mayor of San Jose. Under his leadership, San Jose became the largest city in the U.S. to mandate all-electric residential and office construction – curbing the use of gas in new buildings. Liccardo also launched the San Jose Resilience Corps, employing hundreds of young adults from low income communities to expand climate resilience.
As a representative, Liccardo will push for policies that accelerate the transition from fossil fuels, protect California’s shorelines and hillsides, and increase communities’ resiliency to the threats posed by the climate crisis.
Liccardo joins the U.S. House to fill the seat of retiring Representative Anna Eshoo, who earned a 97% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard
“Climate action is not a spectator sport. Accelerating the transition from fossil fuels will require everyone’s participation. Congress must do more to free itself, and our country, from the grip of the powerful gas and oil industry.” – Liccardo for Congress