"Mahan's 23-year-old campaign manager, Adrian Rafizadeh, registered as a Republican in 2020, voter records show. Rafizadeh previously worked on Mahan's mayoral campaign from 2021 to 2022, and as a policy analyst under Mahan as councilmember in 2021. Rafizadeh was also CEO of Back to Basics, a 501(c)(4) advocacy group Mahan launched to tackle homelessness and development policy statewide, in 2024. That role is now filled by Mahan's former Chief of Staff Jim Reed, who took over the organization in December."
"Rafizadeh acknowledged the Republican registration and said he later switched to Democrat before he knew Mahan was considering running for governor. "Mayor Mahan never asked me about which party I belonged to," Rafizadeh told San José Spotlight. "Just about if I could help him run the kind of thoughtful campaign that focused on solutions to big problems like ending street homelessness, making every neighborhood safe, building more homes and making housing more affordable and lifting more families into the middle class.""
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has insisted he is a lifelong Democrat while facing criticism for perceived right-leaning positions. His 23-year-old campaign manager, Adrian Rafizadeh, registered as a Republican in 2020 and later worked on Mahan's mayoral campaign and as a policy analyst. Rafizadeh served briefly as CEO of Back to Basics in 2024 before Jim Reed took over. Rafizadeh said he switched to the Democratic Party before knowing of Mahan's gubernatorial plans but declined to say when or why. Rafizadeh emphasizes a solutions-driven, centrist campaign focused on homelessness, safety, housing and economic mobility.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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