Weather 
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is adding his name to a crowded list of candidates for governor.
Mahan made the announcement in a lenghthy post on X, saying he’s running for governor “because we can do better,” and that he’s proved that in San Jose.
“So I’m running to bring focus back to government,” he said in the post. “To give cities the tools they need to succeed. To show that the best resistance to division is results.”
Congressman and former San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo released a statement endorsing Mahan, saying in part: “Leading one of California’s largest cities tests you in ways few jobs do. Sacramento needs a leader who has governed under pressure, balanced a budget, and delivered results. That’s San José Mayor Matt Mahan.”
In an interview with Inside California Politics, Mahan said he’s closer to the state’s problems and solutions than other candidates.
MORE: Big political battles ahead for California in 2026: Here’s what to look forward to
He touted his accomplishments as mayor, including reductions in homelessness and crime, plus cutting red tape around housing construction.
Mahan was elected to the San Jose City Council in 2020, and then ran successfully for mayor in 2022.
© 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
