San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has officially entered the crowded race for California Governor.
Mahan made his announcement Thursday morning in a lengthy post on social media, saying he’s running because California can “do better” and that his record in San Jose shows that results matter.
“I’m running to bring focus back to government,” Mahan wrote. “To give cities the tools they need to succeed. To show that the best resistance to division is results.”
Mahan highlighted a reduction in crime and unsheltered homelessness in San Jose, as well as his efforts to speed up housing construction in the city.
Mahan was elected mayor of San Jose in 2022 after serving on the City Council for District 10. He is a Democrat known for a pragmatic, centrist approach. A former startup co-founder, Mahan has sought to make San Jose a more welcoming city for business. This has sometimes put him at odds with labor.
Mahan supported Prop 36 in 2024, a ballot measure that increased penalties for repeat theft and drug offenses. He has clashed with Governor Newsom over several issues, including public safety and homelessness. However, like Newsom, he opposes a proposed 5% tax on billionaires that is being considered for the 2026 ballot. Mahan argues it could push high-income earners out of the state and hurt California’s economy.
Mahan is among several candidates in the 2026 California governor’s race, but he is one of only two current local officials in the running. The field also includes Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, former California State Controller Betty Yee, former California Assembly leader Ian Calderon, and conservative commentator Steve Hilton.