Google co-founder Sergey Brin donated nearly $80,000 in late January to the campaign of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who is running for California governor, according to recent financial filings.
Brin’s contribution, made through two separate donations of $39,200 each on January 30, is among a surge of financial support from Silicon Valley elites bolstering Mahan’s bid to unseat the current governor. Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and YCombinator CEO Garry Tan also contributed the maximum allowable amount of $78,400 each to Mahan’s campaign in January. David Baszucki, CEO of Roblox and his wife Jan, jointly donated $156,800.
The financial influx comes as Mahan has publicly opposed a proposed “billionaire tax” in California. The campaign has raised over $2 million, with Mahan himself claiming a total of $7 million raised through social media, though official reports currently reflect the lower figure.
Businessman and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, based in Southern California, also contributed $78,400 to Mahan’s campaign. Mahan’s campaign manager, Adrian Rafizadeh, stated that the mayor has “united Californians against special interests,” adding that trust in city government has increased by nearly 40% since Mahan took office due to his willingness to “stand up to special interests.”
