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Tech Billionaires Fuel Matt Mahan’s Late Bid for California Governor

New disclosures highlight a rapid big-dollar push to buy statewide attention for the San Jose mayor after his late entry.

Overview

  • Campaign filings show maxed-out $78,400 donations from Sergey Brin, Joe Lonsdale and Garry Tan, with additional large checks from Roblox CEO David Baszucki and his wife and Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso.
  • Independent committee California Back to Basics has raised about $3.2 million and spent $1.5 million on a 30-second Super Bowl ad introducing Mahan to a statewide audience.
  • Top funders of the committee include Michael Seibel ($1 million), Marc and Ashley Merrill ($510,000 each), Neil Mehta ($500,000), Brian Singerman ($250,000) and television producer Dick Wolf ($250,000).
  • Recent official reports list just over $2 million raised by the campaign even as Mahan touts $7 million on social media, with the next detailed disclosure due April 23.
  • Reporting notes several donors linked to Peter Thiel’s network as Mahan runs on public safety, homelessness and opposition to a proposed billionaire tax, while the committee cannot coordinate with the campaign and a related 501(c)(4) can keep contributors undisclosed.