Tech Leaders Endorse San Jose Mayor for California Governor

One tech investor described him as the only sane Democrat running. Independent groups backed by tech companies and billionaires have committed more than $25 million to his effort, including funds for a Super Bowl advertisement. The mayor jumped into the race in January after serving as mayor of the largest city in Silicon Valley.

The 43-year-old candidate has criticized the current governor and state lawmakers for their handling of homelessness and crime. A moderate Democrat, he has positioned himself as a pragmatic problem-solver opposed to a proposed tax on billionaires that has some wealthy residents threatening to leave the state.

In just three months the mayor has raised more money than any rival, many of whom have campaigned for more than a year. During a debate broadcast on CNN he cast himself as distinct from both Republican candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump and what he called career politicians among the Democrats.

Labor unions and some Democratic voters have expressed concern about his close ties to the technology industry. The president of the California Labor Federation, which has endorsed other candidates, said people do not want a governor who is a puppet of big tech billionaires and AI billionaires.

The mayor has countered that his experience with the industry equips him to regulate it responsibly. He created a coalition of more than 900 public agencies in San Jose to explore responsible artificial intelligence use in government. He has also said he supports taxing AI companies to fund workforce development.

"Voters can see past the kind of shallow connection that because I’m the mayor of the largest city in Silicon Valley, that might mean that I’m not willing to regulate tech," the mayor told The Associated Press. Independent groups backed by the industry have committed at least $40 million to influence legislative races in addition to the governor’s contest.

Donors to the mayor’s campaign include the Google co-founder Sergey Brin, venture capitalist Michael Moritz and the Reddit CEO Steve Huffman. Some donors are hedging by also contributing to a Republican candidate who is a former Fox News host. A leader of a startup accelerator that helped launch companies including Airbnb and DoorDash described the mayor as focused on solving problems by building more housing, improving public safety and making it possible for people to live and work in the state again.

The mayor graduated from Harvard and worked on an early Facebook app before co-founding a nonpartisan online voter network. His campaign has emphasized his upbringing as the son of a postal worker and a schoolteacher rather than his technology background.

He is the only major Democrat calling for suspension of the state gas tax. As mayor he directed more funding toward short-term housing for homeless people and supported making those who reject shelter offers eligible for arrest. The city recorded a drop in unsheltered homelessness last year.

He backed a tough-on-crime ballot measure last year that diverged from the current governor’s position, though he has since moderated his criticism and said the governor has focused on the right issues. The mayor has pledged not to raise taxes to close budget gaps, including a one-time tax on billionaires that most rivals also oppose.

He has proposed tying future pay raises for state officials to measurable improvements in unemployment, homelessness and other metrics. His support among voters remains soft, though he has argued that many remain persuadable. His campaign has drawn only about 730 donations under $250, in contrast to tens of thousands of small donations received by other Democratic candidates.

Questions about when he might drop out to avoid splitting the Democratic vote and allowing two Republicans to advance dominated a recent Reddit forum he hosted. " the mayor responded to one such question. Observers say the outcome of the governor’s race could shape how aggressively the state holds the sector accountable on issues from artificial intelligence to housing and taxes.