Tags: sergey brin | california | governor | race | contributions

Sergey Brin Backs Rival Candidates for California Governor

Sergey Brin Backs Rival Candidates for California Governor
Sergey Brin, a Google founder, and Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto, left, are seated during a dinner with President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sept. 4, 2025, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)

By    |   Tuesday, 10 March 2026 03:36 PM EDT

Google billionaire Sergey Brin is throwing big money at California’s race for governor — on both sides, the New York Post reports.

The tech titan has quietly emerged as a major financial player in the contest to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, backing competing candidates from different parties just months after relocating his primary residence out of California.

Campaign filings show Brin recently donated $39,200 to Republican candidate Steve Hilton, a Fox News contributor and former adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron.

But that’s not the only bet Brin is making.

The Google co-founder also poured $1 million into an independent committee supporting Democrat Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose. The donation came Monday and followed a smaller contribution he made to support Mahan earlier this year.

The dual donations mean one of Silicon Valley’s richest figures is effectively bankrolling rival contenders in the same high-stakes gubernatorial race.

Brin’s political maneuvering comes shortly after he moved his primary residence from California to Nevada, settling near Lake Tahoe.

The move followed a proposal backed by a healthcare workers union to impose a one-time 5% tax on the wealth of California’s billionaires — a measure that could cost the Google co-founder billions. Brin’s fortune is estimated at about $245 billion.

Both Hilton and Mahan oppose the proposed wealth tax, which still must collect enough signatures to appear on the November ballot.

Brin has also taken aim at the tax proposal in a broader way. He donated $20 million to a newly formed pro-business political group called “Building a Better California,” which is spending heavily to fight the wealth-tax initiative.

Representatives for Brin and Hilton did not respond to requests for comment.

The California governor’s race is shaping up to be crowded and unpredictable. Eight Democrats and two Republicans are currently competing.

Under California’s election rules, the top two vote-getters in the June primary advance to the general election — regardless of party affiliation.

Early polling suggests the field remains wide open. A February Emerson College survey found Hilton leading with 17% support, followed by Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Chad Bianco, each polling at 14%.

Brin isn’t the only Silicon Valley figure hedging political bets in the race.

Joe Lonsdale, a venture capitalist and co-founder of Palantir Technologies, has also supported both Hilton and Mahan. Meanwhile, crypto entrepreneur Chris Larsen has contributed to Hilton and Democratic candidate Katie Porter.

The high-profile backing underscores how closely tech leaders are watching the governor’s race — especially as debates intensify over taxation, regulation and the future of California’s economy.

California hasn’t elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011 — but with a crowded field and massive sums of money flowing into the race, the battle to succeed Newsom is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests in the country.

© 2026 Newsmax Finance. All rights reserved.


StreetTalk
Google billionaire Sergey Brin is throwing big money at California's race for governor — on both sides, the New York Post reports.
sergey brin, california, governor, race, contributions
470
2026-36-10
Tuesday, 10 March 2026 03:36 PM
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