San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan aims to stand out from the crowded field of California governor candidates with a statewide policy plan to speed up housing production. Advocates say there’s plenty to like — even if certain facets of the plan could cut funding to local public services. Mahan unveiled his 15-point plan March 5...
San Jose mayor’s social media use faces criticism
Just weeks after announcing his run for governor, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan launched two new social media accounts on X and Instagram, each one designated as a city-backed account for official messaging. The move in February came amid City Hall grumbles about the mayor’s longstanding practice of using individual social media accounts for both...
San Jose mayor adds $2.5M to CA governor campaign
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s billionaire-backed campaign for California governor just got another shot in the arm. Mahan’s campaign disclosed a $2.5 million windfall on Wednesday — amounting to $6 million in total direct fundraising reported since the launch of his bid for statewide office. Mahan has said publicly he’s raised $7 million. The filings...
Serial entrepreneur seeks District 9 San Jose council seat
Serial entrepreneur, classic car collector, TV host, civic organizer — lifelong San Jose resident Mike Hennessy has worn a lot of hats over the years. Now, he said that wide-ranging experience has prepared him well to step into yet another role: District 9 councilmember. “I know I can add some common sense,” Hennessy, 70, told...
Silicon Valley lawmakers criticize Mahan, endorse opponent
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s moderate campaign for California governor has fared well with billionaires and tech moguls. But two progressive state lawmakers in his own backyard are less enthused. Democratic Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Alex Lee are spurning Mahan’s bid for statewide office as a “handpicked” vessel for big tech’s movement to consolidate control...
Doan nabs dual endorsements in San Jose District 7 race
It’s a rare alignment of San Jose’s political stars: Two influential organizations on opposite sides of San Jose’s labor-business political divide have endorsed the same candidate in the District 7 City Council race. Incumbent Councilmember Bien Doan has won support from both the Silicon Valley Biz PAC and South Bay Labor Council. Doan — a...
Billionaire techies back Matt Mahan’s run for CA governor
Billionaires and tech moguls are spending mountains of cash to catapult San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan to the front of the race for California governor. Recent campaign finance reports show Mahan has raised more than $2 million, though he has touted raising a total of $7 million so far on social media. Google co-founder Sergey Brin,...
Conservative heads San Jose mayor’s governor campaign
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has bristled at being labeled right-leaning while stressing he’s a lifelong Democrat. His hiring of a self-described conservative to run his California governor campaign could fuel fresh skepticism. Mahan’s 23-year-old campaign manager, Adrian Rafizadeh, registered as a Republican in 2020, voter records show. Rafizadeh previously worked on Mahan’s mayoral campaign from...
UPDATE: San Jose council puts hotel tax measure on June ballot
Facing yet another major budget shortfall, San Jose leaders have greenlit a proposal to hike taxes on hotel stays as a means of boosting revenue for city services. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of placing a measure to increase the city’s hotel tax, also known as a transient occupancy tax, on the...
Here’s who paid for San Jose mayor’s Super Bowl ad
From Peter Thiel-linked tech investors to the creator of “Law & Order,” several notable people are gunning to vault San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s bid for California governor to frontrunner status — starting with a Super Bowl ad. The 30-second ad, which vaunts Mahan for making San Jose the “safest big city in America,” brought the...