Weekend processing of ballots by voters who were same-day registrants and the results of challenges to others could leave the race to be Sam Liccardo’s opponent in November a virtual dead-heat.

The contest between Joe Simitian and Evan Low could be decided by Friday's report from San Mateo County, which last reported results on Wednesday, March 13.

Tech security entrepreneur Peter Dixon of Portola Valley filed his FEC candidate statement on Thursday and announced he already had raised $350,000; and Palo Alto Councilmember Julie Lythcott-Haims became the seventh Democrat – and first woman – to announce as a candidate for the seat held for 16 terms by Rep. Anna Eshoo.

The combination of the new early primary date, March 5, plus the prospect of the most hotly contested congressional primary in the Bay Area in decades boosts the likelihood of campaign war chests in the millions.

With the March 5 primary just three months away and a campaign period interrupted by the holidays, the candidates – a total of five Democrats and two Republicans so far – have a big fundraising challenge ahead of them.

The Santa Clara County supervisor says he already has raised $600,000 in federal campaign funds.

Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo's hopes of filling the seat vacated by retiring Rep. Anna Eshoo were energized this week by results from a weekend poll showing the former mayor topping a field of eight possible opponents.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian says he'll likely make it official next week and Assemblymember Evan Low says he is a few conversations away from his announcement, but the pair are likely opponents in California's 16th Congressional District.

The female officer, who has not been identified, was seriously wounded in Wednesday's shooting, when a single bullet struck her in the abdomen below her bulletproof vest, causing serious injury to her intestine, colon, liver and gall bladder, and fracturing her spine, according to District Attorney Jeff Rosen. 

After a weekend of lobbying, jockeying and speculating, then a flurry of parliamentary maneuvers and a six-hour closed-door caucus meeting on Tuesday, Rivas’ campaign for speaker ended abruptly. California Assembly Democrats decided to keep their current leader, Speaker Anthony Rendon

Santa Clara County school board member Rosemary Kamei is the first new San Jose council candidate of the New Year, seeking to represent District 1 in West San Jose. “After careful consideration, I am jumping in,” Kamei told San Jose Inside. Rosemary is vice president of innovation and former chief operating officer at Silicon Valley Education Foundation.

A 19-year-old cousin of Gilroy council member and prominent Santa Clara County Democrat Rebeca Armendariz was arrested in connection with a Halloween party shooting outside her home that left an 18-year-old dead and three other teens injured.

She joins three current San Jose City Councilors in the race: Willow Glen’s Dev Davis, Almaden Valley representative Matt Mahan and Raul Peralez in Downtown.

The supervisor shared her ambition to become San Jose’s next mayor at a private luncheon of Asian-American and Pacific Islander elected officials.

Johan Strydom’s arraignment is set for 1:30pm today in Department 24 of the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice.

Last week, Santa Clara County Republican leader Phil Reynolds praised the siege and urged people to “take arms.”