San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is one of the first Democrats in California‘s crowded governor’s race to voice what others have only been hinting at: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) got it wrong.
With the primary election less than four months away, a packed field of Democratic contenders has mostly tiptoed around Newsom, offering tepid policy contrasts on homelessness, crime, and the cost of living without naming names. However, Mahan broke that truce, betting that direct jabs, not subtle criticism, are what frustrated voters want to hear.
The 43-year-old Silicon Valley Democrat lacks a lengthy political resume but has built a record of publicly criticizing Newsom’s handling of crime, housing, fraud, and public safety. He has stood his ground against Newsom on the homelessness crisis, advocated tough-on-crime measures that have angered members of his party, and instituted what is believed to be one of the first performance models tying pay raises for senior staff and council members to measurable results.
Mahan launched his campaign for the 2026 California governor’s race on Thursday, joining a primary contest that has yet to produce a front-runner to lead the country’s most populous state.
However, that could soon change.
With the field effectively locked and no credible late entrants expected, the winnowing process is about to begin, political experts told the Washington Examiner.
Polls will tighten, donor money will coalesce, and candidates stuck near the bottom will drift into irrelevance. Most will remain on the ballot through June’s jungle primary, but without money or media attention. California primaries send the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, to the Nov. 2 general election. Currently, about a half dozen Democrats and two Republicans have at least an outside shot at claiming one of the two spots in the runoff.
While Republicans have no problem calling out the term-limited governor eyeing a 2028 presidential run, Democrats have been slow to do so. Mahan is one of the only candidates who has come out swinging against Newsom.
Mahan framed his campaign as a contrast to Sacramento’s status quo and said leadership needs to produce “serious solutions” to problems constituents face. He also questioned California’s approach to homelessness and public safety, arguing that state leaders have failed to provide sufficient support and resources for local communities.
When Newsom flaunted a 9% decrease in homelessness, Mahan said, “I paused and waited for the rest of the explanation as to why it’s happening.” He credited the decrease, in part, to San Jose reducing its homeless population by roughly a third.
A particular point of contention between Newsom and Mahan has been Proposition 36, a crime measure that reclassifies certain offenses as felonies and promotes treatment initiatives. Although voters approved Proposition 36 by nearly 70% in November 2024, Newsom opposed the measure and, citing budget deficits, excluded it from his initial 2025 budget proposal.
Following intense pressure, Newsom and the Democratic-led state legislature approved a one-time $100 million state budget allocation for behavioral health and court costs related to the law. In September, he announced an additional $127 million in grants to local communities eligible under Proposition 36 and Proposition 47.
Mahan was one of the Democrats who took Newsom to task for lacking a specific plan to implement Proposition 36, coming down hard on the governor.
“The state should be leaning in,” Mahan said. “It should be providing technical assistance, funding for implementation, and creating a framework. When people pass things, they expect their leaders to listen.”
Democratic political consultant Kaivan Shroff questioned Mahan’s campaign timing and strategy of throwing Newsom under the bus, telling the Washington Examiner it could backfire.
“I’m not sure the base thinks aggressive criticisms of a high-profile Democrat, whether they like Newsom or not, is what is needed in this national moment,” he said.
Jeff Le, former deputy Cabinet secretary to former Democratic California Gov. Jerry Brown, added that while there is “value” in Mahan differentiating himself from Newsom, “he is still running as a Democratic candidate for the primary.”
“A key question will be how he mobilizes as a candidate likely to not garner tremendous support from organized labor, a critical base for California Democrats,” Le told the Washington Examiner. “The governor is positioning to stay out of the race for his successor, but the mayor’s track record of critique on the governor could hinder his immediate traction with the political base. With just four months left until the primary, time is precious to garner momentum and enthusiasm.”
CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFULS HAVE A GAVIN NEWSOM PROBLEM
Garry South, a longtime California political analyst who ran Newsom’s first campaign, was more blunt.
“Constantly poking a stick in the eye of the popular incumbent of your own party you’re running to succeed — and who is currently leading the Democratic field for president — is a curious way to run for governor,” he told the Washington Examiner. “It sort of sums up the Silicon Valley mindset that people dislike, and the reason candidates from there haven’t done well: We’re billionaire tech execs, and you’re not, so we’re smarter than thou.”
