Twenty-six-year-old Evan Low became one of the nation’s youngest openly gay mayors and the youngest Asian American mayor when he was elected to the mayoral office of Silicon Valley suburb Campbell on December 1.
“He’ll have his work cut out for him, but I think he’ll find his way,” City Councilman Michael Kotowski and former Campbell mayor told the San Francisco Chronicle. “He’ll do a good job if he does the normal things, but he’ll be an exceptional mayor if he gets out into the community and reaches out to people.”
Low, who has lived in this suburb of 38,000 inhabitants for eight years, graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in political science, and is working full time as senior district representative to Assemblyman Paul Fong.
“I’m passionate and energetic about all things I do,” Low told the San Francisco Chronicle. “This is not work for me. This is something I enjoy.”
Low’s victory seems to point to a changing political climate for openly LGBT folks, as well as for young politicians. Michael Mitchell, director of Washington, D.C. non- profit Stonewall Democrats, told the Chronicle that, ”It’s significant that someone that bright and this young can be elected mayor in California. That he’s LGBT makes me even happier.”
