San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a 43-year-old Democrat with deep Silicon Valley roots, introduced Thursday that he’s coming into the crowded race to switch Gavin Newsom as California governor, simply 5 months earlier than the June main.
Who’s Matt Mahan?
A former tech entrepreneur, Mahan co-founded Brigade, a digital political organizing platform, after encouragement from Mark Zuckerberg whereas the 2 had been classmates at Harvard. His Silicon Valley connections may assist him increase vital marketing campaign funds, and housing builders are seen as a possible help base as a result of his robust pro-building stance.
What’s Matt Mahan’s coverage focus?
Mahan turned mayor of California’s third-largest metropolis in 2021 and has positioned himself as a realistic, “Again to Fundamentals” chief targeted on public security, homelessness, housing affordability and authorities accountability.
He has taken a harder stance on crime than many Democrats, supporting harsher penalties for sure theft and drug offenses and proposing that the town arrest homeless people who repeatedly refuse shelter affords — positions which have typically put him at odds together with his get together.
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Is Matt Mahan a Democrat or a Republican?
Pitching himself as a average prepared to problem the Democratic establishment, Mahan has criticized Newsom over crime and homelessness, in addition to the governor’s combative social-media posture towards Donald Trump, which Mahan referred to as a “blind leap into meme land.”
Mahan is married to Silvia‑Wedad Scandar Mahan, whom he met at Harvard. The couple married in 2012 and have two kids, Nina Luz and Luke Alejandro. Scandar Mahan holds a bachelor’s diploma in economics from Harvard Faculty and a legislation diploma from Georgetown College and has labored as an lawyer.
Mahan’s mayoral time period runs via 2028, permitting him to marketing campaign with out giving up his seat, however he should end within the high two within the June main to advance to the overall election.
He enters a area that features Democrats Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee, Eric Swalwell and Tom Steyer, alongside Republican candidates Chad Bianco, Steve Hilton, and Jon Slavet.
What’s Matt Mahan’s stance on the billionaire tax?
The primary challenges he faces, regardless of a shorter marketing campaign interval of simply 4 months, are being lesser-known outdoors of the Bay Space and dealing with mainstream Democrats whom he has criticized.
Mahan has extra lately made information for aligning with Newsom — somebody he typically disagrees with — in opposing the controversial “billionaire tax,” arguing it will damage California’s financial system.
