Mahan made the announcement Thursday, joining a field that he said is still searching for a clear direction as California prepares for a June primary to choose a successor to Gov. Gavin Newsom. In his pitch to voters, the San Jose Democrat cast himself as a “fixer” who can deliver results by emphasizing what he said cities can do day to day to address persistent problems.
Mahan said his record as mayor offers examples he believes translate beyond Silicon Valley. He told the Associated Press that his policies have reduced the number of unsheltered homeless in San Jose, cut fees to speed up housing construction, and helped police solve more homicides.
The mayor, who AP reported is 43 and a Harvard graduate, also framed his campaign as grounded in experience handling challenges at the local level. In a phone interview Thursday, he said, “As mayor of a big city, I’m closer to the challenges we face and the solutions we need than anyone else in this race,” adding, “Cities are on the front lines of solving problems for people in their everyday lives.”
Mahan’s entry comes after months of positioning himself as a persistent critic of Newsom. AP reported that he lambasted Newsom over his handling of homelessness and that he bucked the governor in 2024 by backing a tough-on-crime ballot measure that would increase penalties for some shoplifting and drug offenses. AP also said Mahan criticized Newsom’s focus on President Donald Trump and Newsom’s use of social media trolling in an op-ed last year.
Among the Democrats already in the race, AP said former Biden administration Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, and U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell have announced bids. The AP report also said other Democratic heavyweights, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Attorney General Rob Bonta, decided not to run. Newsom, viewed by some Democrats as a potential 2028 presidential contender, is termed out after this year and cannot seek reelection.
AP reported that Newsom responded to Mahan’s candidacy at an event in San Francisco by saying he does not know the mayor well, adding, “I wish him good luck.” The governor’s response highlighted a contest that is already being shaped by both Mahan’s criticisms and the question of who can credibly consolidate support in the months before voters choose a nominee.
Beyond politics, AP said Mahan has deep ties to the tech industry. Before he held public office, AP reported that he was a tech entrepreneur and co-founded a digital political organizing platform called Brigade. AP also reported that he was classmates with Mark Zuckerberg and that Zuckerberg persuaded him to go into tech rather than law school.
AP said some tech and business leaders already signaled support for Mahan, including billionaire Rick Caruso, venture capitalist Garry Tan and angel investor Matt Brezina. AP also noted that in recent months Mahan hosted gubernatorial candidates in San Jose, but said no one has impressed him.
Mahan’s path to the mayor’s office began earlier in local politics, AP reported. He was first elected to the city council in 2020 and won the mayoral election in 2022 against a labor-backed candidate. AP also described him as regularly joining weekend clean-up efforts along San Jose waterways and city parks, and it said he successfully pushed a provision last year, over opposition from county officials, to make homeless people eligible for arrest if they reject three offers of shelters.
On the Republican side, the AP report said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton also have announced bids. With the Democratic field described by AP as large and unsettled and no clear frontrunner emerging ahead of the June primary, Mahan’s announcement is set to broaden the competition for Democratic voters as both major parties work toward the general election.