San Jose Mayor Eyes Governor's Race
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is considering a run for Governor of California. In a recent interview, Mahan discussed how his record on housing and homelessness in the South Bay could qualify him for statewide office.
A former tech entrepreneur, Matt Mahan co-founded and led Brigade Media, a company focused on civic engagement technology. Before entering the private sector, he taught in San José schools through the Teach for America program after graduating from Harvard University, where he served as student body president. His career began after a dormmate at Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg, encouraged him to pursue tech. Mahan, a Democrat, was first elected mayor of San Jose in 2022 for an initial two-year term and was re-elected in March 2024 for a full four-year term. His political career began in 2020 when he was elected to the San Jose City Council. He is positioning himself as a moderate Democrat and has been a vocal critic of some of Governor Gavin Newsom's approaches, particularly regarding homelessness and public safety. Mahan has advocated for policies that would increase penalties for some drug and theft charges, a stance that has put him at odds with some members of his party. The 2026 California gubernatorial election is expected to be a crowded field, as Governor Newsom is term-limited. Other Democrats who have declared their candidacy include former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, and U.S. Representative Katie Porter.
