San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan Launches Bid for California Governor

San Jose Mayor Enters California Governor’s Race

Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose, California, announced on Thursday that he will run for governor of California. His decision adds another candidate to the field seeking to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited and cannot run again.

Mahan, a 43-year-old centrist Democrat and former tech entrepreneur, was first elected mayor of San Jose, the largest city in Silicon Valley, in 2022. His entry into the governor’s race comes months before the June primary, in what has been described as an unsettled field that has not yet produced a clear frontrunner.

Candidate Positions and Record in San Jose

As mayor, Mahan has said that his pragmatic approach has helped make San Jose the safest big city in the nation and has contributed to a significant drop in homelessness in the city. He was one of the few prominent Democrats to support Proposition 36, a 2024 ballot initiative that imposed harsher penalties for certain drug and theft offenses.

Mahan has been critical of Governor Newsom’s approach to homelessness and crime reduction, as well as of the governor’s social media criticism of the president. In interviews on Thursday, Mahan said he sees an opportunity for a candidate who is less focused on national politics involving Donald Trump and more focused on state issues such as homelessness and the rising cost of living in California.

Statements on Campaign Focus

In remarks given on Thursday, Mahan said he believes many current candidates are either running against Donald Trump or in alignment with Trump’s image. He stated that he is running “for the future of California,” framing his campaign around state-level challenges rather than national political dynamics.

Other Candidates and Reactions

The Democratic field for governor currently includes former congresswoman Katie Porter, congressman Eric Swalwell, former health and human services secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer.

Tom Steyer welcomed Mahan’s entry into the race in a public statement. He said that California needs a governor who will stand up to powerful interests. Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking at an event in San Francisco hosted by Bloomberg, said he did not know enough about Mahan but wished him good luck.

Newsom Addresses Social Media Strategy

When asked at the San Francisco event about Mahan’s criticism of his social media approach toward Donald Trump, Newsom said that his combative posture has been a matter of both style and substance. He stated that this strategy has allowed him to advance a conversation he could not advance previously. Newsom added that he is trying to “put a mirror up” and said he believes the actions taken under this approach have been important.