Matt Mahan

Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose and a 2026 gubernatorial candidate, has faced controversy regarding campaign finance and the use of government resources. In April 2026, an ethics complaint was filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) alleging that Mahan illegally coordinated strategy and messaging with independent expenditure committees, or super PACs, supporting his campaign. The complaint alleged he participated in a Zoom call where campaign strategy and slides were shared with major PAC donors. Mahan has stated that the complaint was dismissed. Additionally, critics and anonymous city staffers have questioned Mahan’s use of personal social media accounts for both official city business and campaign promotion. While some raised concerns about the potential use of city staff time for his campaign, an election law expert noted that evolving laws regarding social media use by elected officials make legal violations difficult to establish in this context. There are no reports of criminal convictions, indictments, or findings of corruption against him.