Town of Los Gatos Town Council Councilmember Rob Moore

Those who have studied Rob Moore’s campaign website, RobforLosGatos.com, won’t be surprised that he was the top vote-getter in a six-way race for three seats on the Los Gatos Town Council, outpolling two incumbents in the election on Nov. 8, 2022. Moore’s eye-catching logo, with the two O’s in his name overlaid by a bicycle, is just the beginning. Moore tells his own story well, explaining that he “took a long path” to figure out how he would serve the public. He first explored  careers in the armed forces and police or firefighting, until turning to government service. Though this is his first elected position, he has worked with U.S. Rep. Representative Anna Eshoo in Washington, D.C., state Assemblymember Evan Low and state Senator Bob Wieckowski.

Eventually he returned home to Los Gatos, where he worked as a substitute teacher and got involved with various community organizations. He was appointed to the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission, but it was at a Los Gatos Town Council meeting that his desire to run for office crystalized. After he saw elected officials being attacked, he got involved with the Los Gatos United Against Hate March. He sees his campaign as “a continuation of that movement.”

The campaign wasn’t easy, with several divisive issues creating conflict for all the candidates. But Moore was singled out in negative fliers from an unknown source that said Los Gatos citizens wanted “no MOORE rainbow sidewalks.”  On his Facebook page, Moore suggested the same group of right-wing activists accused of harassing then-Mayor Marico Sayoc were responsible for the fliers.

Rob Rennie, who was reelected to the Town Council along with Moore and fellow incumbent Mary Badame, told San Jose Spotlight, “One of the things that bothered me a lot was the spread of misinformation and hate in this election. It looks like that didn’t win out. Moore is in the lead, and he was the target of some of the most hate. … He really deserves to be in the lead.”

Day job: Special projects manager at the San Jose Conservation Corps

Alma mater: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (bachelor’s degree, political science with a concentration in public service and urban planning)

Notable quote: “I bring a unique, long-term vision and perspective to the Los Gatos Town Council as the only candidate who will live in this community for the next 60 or 70 years, and I have a strong understanding of the community after personally knocking on more than 6,000 doors throughout my campaign.” (Source: San Jose Spotlight, Nov. 1, 2022)