Recent campaign filings show<\/a> Mahan has support from a deep network of Silicon Valley\u2019s premier movers and shakers. Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and YCombinator CEO Garry Tan are among the moguls who maxed out their legally-allowed contributions \u2014 $78,400 each \u2014 into Mahan\u2019s governor campaign<\/a> in January.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are a bunch of candidates along the whole political spectrum \u2014 yet instead of going to any one of the gubernatorial candidates already in the race, they went to handpick their own candidate,\u201d Kalra said. \u201cThese millionaire tech elitists don\u2019t just want someone in the governor\u2019s mansion who is friendly to them. They want someone who is going to be obedient to them.\u201d<\/p>\n Adrian Rafizadeh, Mahan\u2019s campaign manager, said the lawmakers\u2019 remarks are a clear sign that Sacramento\u2019s political establishment sees Mahan as a threat.<\/p>\n \u201cMatt is in this race to build more housing, end street homelessness, fix our broken mental health care system and lift up every school with higher standards,\u201d Rafizadeh told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cHe knows some people will fight this change to protect politics as usual. He\u2019ll fight harder to bring accountability, progress and reform to Sacramento.\u201d<\/p>\n Kalra and Lee rebuked Mahan\u2019s Democratic branding<\/a>, as well as his record of diverting affordable housing money<\/a> toward temporary shelter<\/a> to make it appear as though he solved the city\u2019s homelessness crisis for campaign talking points. Instead, they say he merely made the problem invisible.<\/p>\n They said it would be difficult to find a high-profile Democratic politician in Santa Clara County supporting Mahan \u2014 though former San Jose Mayor and Congressman Sam Liccardo endorsed Mahan on the day of his campaign announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cMayor Mahan has battled through ground zero of the affordability crisis, where the housing shortage demands urgency and creativity,\u201d Liccardo said in a statement last month. \u201cHe\u2019s overcome political targeting from Washington, and he leads a city in the heart of our innovation economy.\u201d<\/p>\n Other Silicon Valley lawmakers have snubbed Mahan. Congressman Ro Khanna has endorsed billionaire Tom Steyer while Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens has endorsed Congressman Eric Swalwell in the race.<\/p>\n Kalra\u2019s and Lee\u2019s comments were noteworthy, given they used the same news conference to endorse Steyer, who has personally funneled millions into his campaign for California governor.<\/p>\n While Steyer has touted a progressive affordability platform, Kalra and Lee faced questions about why they\u2019re supporting a man who made his fortune partly off coal mining and private prison investments.<\/p>\n \u201cI think people rightly should be skeptical of any billionaire,\u201d Lee said. \u201cAs a progressive, I firmly believe in redemption and the evolution of ideas. Tom has over the course of his career evolved and I believe as governor he should be making up for these actions with concrete policy that will have even greater effect in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Steyer is still leading the fundraising pack with $38 million in donations as of Feb. 3. Conservative pundit Steve Hilton and former Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter have both raised just under $6 million. Mahan has touted raising a total of $7 million<\/a> in the initial stretch of his campaign on social media this month.<\/p>\n Other candidates in the governor\u2019s race include Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who has raised $3.8 million. Swalwell has reported $3 million in fundraising. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has raised $3.1 million. Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra has raised $2.9 million. Former State Controller Betty Yee has raised $587,000 and California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has raised $256,000.<\/p>\n Outside of Santa Clara County, Mahan has been endorsed by former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and billionaire Rick Caruso, as well as San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey. Becerra is endorsed by the California Primary Care Association Advocates, a statewide community health center advocacy group. Yee lists endorsements by former Federal Election Commission Chair Ann Ravel and the Progressive Democrats of America\u2019s national and California chapters. Thurmond lists endorsements from two chapters of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as former U.S. Congressmember and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.<\/p>\n Whichever two candidates get the most votes in the June 2 primary will advance to the Nov. 3 election.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PXL_20250816_181143510-1024x771.jpg\")
State Assemblymember Ash Kalra (right) is speaking out against San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan\u2019s run for California governor. File photo.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ahrens-Lee-1024x768.jpg\")
Local state lawmakers Patrick Ahrens (left) and Alex Lee (center) are endorsing San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan\u2019s opponents. File photo.<\/p>\n![\"Keep](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769027829_854_interactive-184632509590.png\")
<\/a>Steyer has endorsements from the California Nurses Association and California School Employees Association. Bianco boasts the endorsements of Republican lawmakers up and down the state, as well as county sheriff and police unions. Villaraigosa has the backing of the Building and Construction Trades Council of California, Peace Officers Research Association of California and former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer. Porter\u2019s endorsements include the National Union of Healthcare Workers, Emily\u2019s List and Teamsters California. Swalwell has scored the major endorsement of U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff.<\/p>\n