Photo Credit: Andrea Creed
(SAN RAMON, CA.) – If you walk through the hallways of his middle school right now, you might hear a crowd of students demanding to know where they can get their hands on the latest line of “Creed for Mayor” t-shirts and hats. The candidate they are rallying behind isn’t a teacher or city politician; it’s Tyler Creed, who literally just finished the sixth grade.
He cannot legally secure a spot on the ballot, but treating this 12-year-old's campaign as a mere gimmick ignores the real issues he is raising.
Video Credit: YouTube / Tyler Creed talking with OpGov.News founder Chirag Kathrani
Tyler and his parents, Andrea and Chris Creed, spoke excitedly with Kathleen Parra, a reporter for OpGov.News, about the pre-teen’s unconventional mayoral campaign.
Tyler’s interest in politics isn’t just a passing phase. His mother, Andrea, shares how closely he followed the last presidential election coverage, and by 2024, that curiosity turned into a deep fascination with the political world. His father, Chris, proudly tells OpGov.News that Tyler even volunteers as a docent and tour guide for Guardians of The City, a museum dedicated to San Francisco's first responders, where the 12-year-old shares his massive wealth of historical knowledge with visitors. That firsthand experience gave him immense exposure to the Bay Area’s political scene, allowing him to meet key leaders and even land on the local news a few times.
Eventually, all those experiences inspired him to launch his own mayoral campaign right in his own backyard of San Ramon.
For Tyler, the biggest issue hitting San Ramon right now is the rapid pace of housing construction. “The main issue for me is all the new housing developments,” he told OpGov.News. “No more housing. Enough of that. We’re a small town, and it’s just not going to work.”
His solution focuses more on rezoning to halt further expansion: “I would check all the places new housing is being built and make sure more is not built in,” he explained. When the recent developments of The Orchards and The Marketplace were brought to his attention, Tyler declared that “it’s so disappointing. Riding bikes with my friends, we see it regularly.”
It’s not only the increase in housing that worries him; he also mentioned the uptick in local crime. He believes the city's police officers currently do not patrol certain areas enough. To fix this, his platform calls for an increase in “boots on the ground” presence in specific neighborhoods to deter crime and keep San Ramon safe.
That focus on public safety is a natural fit for Tyler, whose perspective on law enforcement is deeply rooted in his upbringing. Both of his parents are retired San Francisco Police Department officers: his father a former lieutenant, and his mother a former sergeant.
They are fully supportive of his political ambitions, hoping he continues to hold onto those core values. His mother, Andrea, admits she was a bit taken aback at first when Tyler said he was running for mayor, later noting that her son is “wise beyond his years, very articulate and so involved.”
To help get the word out, Tyler’s very first campaign sign was just a handwritten piece of cardboard. That initial sign went up at the busy corner of San Ramon Valley Boulevard and Bollinger Canyon Road. Tyler later asked his mother to help him upgrade to professional lawn signs, which started popping up all over the neighborhood. “Friends and neighbors are displaying the signs,” his father, Chris, said. “We put up signs at Neil Armstrong Elementary School, and I was surprised they lasted two to three days until they were taken down.”
When asked about the campaign signs being removed across town, Chris admitted they were aware of someone taking them down, but they were “not sure who.” Tyler added that his friend, Daniel, was riding his bike near the former Harlan House site, where several signs had been placed, and saw someone actively taking them down right at that moment.
With campaign signs vanishing around town, it begs the question: has Tyler faced any actual hate or bullying? Both of his parents were quick to shoot that down. “Most people are supportive,” they said, calling San Ramon an “extremely positive community.” His mother pointed out that the only real pushback has just been a bit of skepticism. “People are saying ‘you can’t run for mayor,’ but then they see how passionate he is about it,” she said.
Tyler himself shrugs off the doubters completely. “I’m chill with everyone. No hate,” he said. “I guess the worst hate is when people say, ‘how can you run for mayor? You’re just a kid.’ I’m like, whatever, I’m running.”
All the buzz around the campaign has made Tyler a familiar face. “It’s awesome that he gets recognized at San Ramon events,” his father said, with both parents adding that he is just a very memorable kid.
Tyler has definitely noticed the change. “A lot of attention,” he said, pointing out that his videos have racked up hundreds of thousands of views, even catching the eye of an Olympic gold medalist. That newfound fame carries right into his school day. “Everyone knows me at my school now,” Tyler said. “Most people just call me Creed or The Mayor.”
Photo Credit: TikTok
Looking ahead to when he turns 18 and can officially run for office, Tyler’s future plans take an unexpected turn. Asked if he would still be interested in running for mayor down the road, he admitted, “No, probably not.” For Tyler, this journey is about pushing boundaries right now. “In some ways the campaign is serious and unserious. I make fun of it, how crazy it is, a 12-year-old running for mayor. I don't care that I'm too young. Just go out there and go to new heights.”
But that doesn’t mean his political ambitions are over. If anything, he is setting his sights even higher. “Not mayor in San Ramon,” Tyler teased. “Maybe run for Congress or Senate.”
For now, though, real life is calling. Tyler is gearing up to start seventh grade, which means picking new electives, making friends, and, as he puts it, having “more freedom.” But his long-term plans reach far beyond the classroom. He’s already thinking about college and a career path that eventually leads to the armed forces. “Joining the Navy,” Tyler said, his casual tone giving way to something more earnest. “Serving and protecting the people.”
Next up on his calendar, Tyler’s biggest event isn't a campaign rally, but a highly anticipated meeting. Back in March, he won an auction item at Neil Armstrong Elementary to spend an “Afternoon with the Mayor” giving him the chance to tour City Hall, sit down one-on-one, and have lunch with Mayor Mark Armstrong. Funny enough, that won't be their first encounter. The two originally crossed paths in April at the Pine Valley Middle School “Unity in Diversity Fair” after a friend nudged Tyler to go introduce himself. “No, I didn’t mention to him that I won the auction,” Tyler admitted. He recalled it as a positive interaction, since the Mayor seemed to be in “good spirits.”
For Tyler and his parents, the upcoming June 12 meeting is a massive highlight, marking a fitting next chapter for San Ramon’s most memorable 12-year-old politician. It’s an opportunity that lines up perfectly with his core philosophy: “If you have an issue, don't just sit and think about it. Do something. Help people. Go above and beyond.”
Attempts to reach city officials, including the Mayor’s Office and the City Clerk, for comment on this matter were unsuccessful.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at kathleen.p@lead4earth.org or comment below.
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