Key facts
- Big Tech donors contributed historic sums to California campaigns in the recent primary election.
- San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who received millions from tech executives, conceded the gubernatorial race.
- Tech entrepreneur Ethan Agarwal, backed by tech executives, is projected to lose his bid to unseat Rep. Ro Khanna.
- Scott Wiener, supported by a Super PAC funded by tech figures, is set to advance to the general election for Rep. Nancy Pelosi's seat.
- Candidates Mark Pulido and David Penaloza, running for State Assembly seats with significant Super PAC funding, appear on track to advance.
- Political experts note that tech money alone is not sufficient to guarantee electoral success.
Big Tech donors contributed historic sums to political campaigns in California during the recent primary election, but their influence appears to have yielded mixed results. In the closely watched governor's race, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who received millions from tech executives like Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, conceded the race, garnering only 4% of the vote. Similarly, tech entrepreneur Ethan Agarwal, backed by figures such as DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, is headed for a significant loss in his bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna. However, in another House race, Scott Wiener, supported by a Super PAC funded by Tan and Ripple Labs co-founder Christian Larsen, is set to advance to the general election. Down-ballot races also saw some success for tech-backed candidates, with Mark Pulido and David Penaloza, running for State Assembly seats with substantial funding from Larsen and venture capitalist Tim Draper, appearing on track to advance. Ben Allen, a candidate for Insurance Commissioner, also received support from a Larsen-backed Super PAC and could move forward. Political experts suggest that while tech money can be significant, it is not a sole determinant of electoral success, and candidates' existing records and voter recognition play crucial roles. The perception of being too closely tied to the tech industry can also be a disadvantage, as the industry faces bipartisan skepticism and concerns about its influence in politics. Despite some losses, tech figures are expected to continue playing a significant role in California politics, particularly concerning AI and data center regulation, through lobbying and ongoing political engagement.