San Jose mayor Matt Mahan wants to prove he’s not just another ‘Silicon Valley guy.’ Will Californians buy it?

# San Jose's Mayor Tries to Distance Himself from His Tech Founder Past San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who built successful tech apps before becoming a politician, is facing skepticism in California's increasingly anti-tech climate—so he's emphasizing his earlier career as a public school teacher instead of leading with his startup accomplishments. When a late-night TV host called him out for leaving teaching in 2008 to start tech companies, it highlighted the tension Mahan faces: he wants voters to see him as a public servant first, but his real wealth and prominence came from the tech industry that many Californians now view with suspicion.