San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan calls out California Gov. Gavin Newsom for social media noise

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan published an op-ed in the San Francisco Standard over the weekend, suggesting Governor Gavin Newsom refocus his energy on important issues rather than social media antics.

Governor Gavin Newsom is drawing a lot of attention online and in political circles – for some recent posts from his Press Office mimicking a social media style similar to President Donald Trump. It’s a shift in approach to dealing with Trump, politically.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan — a fellow Democrat like Newsom — would like to see less online attacks, and more action in the real world.

“We’ve got fundamental issues that are challenges our residents every day and we’d be doing better if Sacramento was doing more. And I want to make very clear, that we cannot confuse internet rhetoric with real world results,” Mahan said.

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Mahan pointed out California for having the highest unemployment in the country, the most expensive housing and energy, and having nearly half of the nation’s unhoused population.

In one example, Newsom’s team sarcastically responded to the new CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond. The company is reopening stores across the nation — except for California.

Newsom’s office wished them well – on becoming relevant again.

“I think we need to listen when people offer very valid criticisms of our business climate in this case and not try to brush it away but say hey, here are the concrete things we’re going to do differently and that was one of the primary point of the op-ed,” Mahan said.

Mahan says when it comes to public safety, more should be done to implement Proposition 36, the tough-on-crime ballot measure.

MORE: Gov. Gavin Newsom deploying law enforcement across CA to fight crime, including Bay Area

“Right now we have made our streets the waiting rooms, the waiting room for mental health hospitals and drug treatment centers that hardly exist. So it is time to get serious about this issue,” Mahan said.

He said the measure passed every county in the state and Sacramento hasn’t dedicated much money to treatment.

Mahan said his op-ed wasn’t about the Governor per se, it’s about Sacramento broadly.

“We need help at the local level, I want to give voice to that,” Mahan said.

We reached out to the Governor’s office for a response to Mayor Mahan’s op-ed and are waiting to hear back.