Comedian Jon Stewart wasted little time Monday in addressing the elephant in the room when it comes to California Democrats having little to no strategy in a pivotal governor’s race.
In an interview with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan — one of the “20” Democratic candidates in the race, Stewart joked — things got a tad awkward as “The Daily Show” host took aim at party leaders for allowing the field on the left to grow so cumbersome.
“So there are like two or three Republicans running and like eight or nine or 10 or 11… 20 Democrats?” Stewart asked.
He added that such a dynamic could divide Democratic voters across multiple candidates.
“It so smacks of the Democratic Party to split the vote into such fractious fiefdoms that the only two people standing are the two Republicans,” Stewart said.
“So smart,” he scoffed. “So typical.”
With eight notable Democrat politicians running and only the top two finalists emerging out of the June 2 primary election, there is a real possibility that two strong-polling Republicans — Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — could face one another in the runoff.
It’s a doomsday scenario that Rusty Hicks, chair of the state Democratic Party, dismissed during last month’s party convention before reversing course just a couple weeks later to publish an urgent open letter calling on low-polling candidates to drop out of the race.
None of the candidates dropped out and Hicks was accused of bullying candidates of color.
Mahan, who recently entered the race and is in his fourth year as mayor of San Jose, did not directly dispute that possibility, instead pointing to a broader lack of engagement among voters at this stage of the race.
“Right now, undecided is beating everybody,” he said. “Undecided is still in first place, which is part of why I jumped in.”
A former public school teacher and tech entrepreneur, Mahan has emphasized a pragmatic approach to issues such as homelessness, housing and public safety.
His gubernatorial campaign has attracted financial support from Silicon Valley donors, reflecting his ties to big tech.
During the interview, Mahan argued that Democrats need to demonstrate that government can deliver results effectively to maintain public trust.
“We’re seeing declining trust in government,” he said. “People are tired of being asked to pay more for less.”
Stewart said Democrats have often struggled to connect government spending with tangible outcomes.
“I don’t think people trust that that money will be spent responsibly or have any efficacy,” he said.
Mahan pointed to policies in San Jose, including efforts to reduce homelessness and increase housing construction, as examples of a results-driven approach he would seek to apply statewide.
With about two and a half months until election day and no clear frontrunner — Mahan himself got just over 3% support in a new Emerson poll — there’s a real question of whether the field might narrow.
“Is anyone dropping out or is this just going to be, like, scream until the end?” Stewart asked.
“Most voters are not even aware that an election is coming,” Mahan said. “This is an off-cycle race. People are just starting to tune in.”
Pressed further on whether weaker candidates might exit, Mahan declined to speculate.
“I’m going to let the voters decide that one,” he said.
