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LIVE: San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan joining crowded race for California governor

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.”

ABC7 News political insider Phil Matier reacts to San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan adding his name to a crowded list of candidates for California governor.

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.”

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In an interview with Inside California Politics, Mahan said he’s closer to the state’s problems and solutions than other candidates.

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.

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