Matt Mahan

Matt Mahan is the current mayor of San Jose, California, elected in 2022. A former tech entrepreneur, he identifies as a centrist Democrat and emphasizes a pragmatic approach, claiming to have made San Jose the safest big city in the nation. Mahan is now newsworthy due to his recent announcement that he is entering the race for California governor, joining a large and seemingly stagnant field of Democratic candidates vying to succeed Gavin Newsom. This announcement comes amidst a backdrop of significant spending by tech billionaires in California politics, including contributions to both Republican and Democratic candidates, and concerns that a divided Democratic field could lead to two Republicans advancing to the runoff election. Mahan's entry adds another layer of complexity to the already crowded race.