San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has joined the crowded field of Democrats seeking to succeed Gavin Newsom as governor of California.
A political moderate, Mahan was a tech entrepreneur before he won a seat on the San Jose City Council in 2020. He launched a campaign for mayor the next year, and was elected to the office in 2002.
“We need to stand up for our rights, for our freedoms and for our neighbors,” Mahan wrote in his campaign announcement. “We need to use the tools we have at hand to protect our democracy. One tool is the law. The other tool is our results. We have to use both. That’s how we fix California.”
Although unknown outside the Bay Area, Mahan highlighted his record in the city in reducing homelessness and crime, and expanding the housing base. He has been critical of Newsom, particularly on the issue of homelessness, and in an interview with Politico, signaled that he would brand himself as outside of the “tired playbook” of his rivals. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Rep. Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra are just a few of the Democratic candidates running in June’s open primary.
A number of well-known political figures considered running, but passed, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Alex Padilla and developer Rick Caruso. Caruso also passed on this year’s mayor’s race, in which he would likely have been in a rematch with incumbent Karen Bass.
About the Author
