Garry Tan is not packing his bags for Texas or Miami. The Y Combinator CEO says he is staying put in California and flexing up politically. Today, he launched Garry’s List, a new statewide nonprofit that plans to publish voter guides, commission policy research and host in-person events in support of pro-growth, moderate candidates across the state.
The project, first reported by The San Francisco Standard, is funded by Tan himself, although he declined to say how much money he is putting in. According to the outlet, Garry’s List will run a blog, release voter guides and stage Commonwealth Club style events around California, with some gatherings reportedly planned for Tan’s converted church in San Francisco’s Mission District.
Tan told the publication he has “no plans to leave” California and said the nonprofit stems from a long-standing interest in civic issues rather than a response to the state’s proposed billionaire tax. “I’m ride or die,” he said. The San Francisco Standard also reports that Tan prototyped the Garry’s List website using Anthropic’s Claude Code tool and has started publishing longer essays on local education battles, including the San Francisco Unified School District enrollment lottery and the recent teachers strike.
Why the Billionaire Tax Fight Looms Over This
The launch lands in the middle of a heated debate over a proposed one-time billionaire tax in California, which has split business and labor interests. Coverage by The Washington Post notes that the plan has triggered warnings from some tech leaders who say it could drive capital and entrepreneurs out of the state. Tan has echoed and amplified those arguments on social media, putting him squarely in the middle of the broader fight over how aggressively California should tax its wealthiest residents.
Tan’s Local Political Track Record
By day, Tan is president and CEO of Y Combinator, the influential startup accelerator credited with helping launch companies such as Airbnb, DoorDash and Stripe, as reported by WIRED. Outside of tech, he has become a prominent political donor in San Francisco.
Tan helped bankroll the 2022 recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin and has directed money to pro-moderate groups and ballot campaigns in the city, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Garry’s List is positioned as a way to extend that style of political engagement far beyond San Francisco city limits.
What Garry’s List Could Mean in 2026
If Garry’s List follows through on plans for voter guides, candidate training and a calendar of statewide events, it could become a key vehicle for tech-backed moderates in California’s 2026 races. Tan has already publicly praised San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and is counted among Silicon Valley donors watching the developing governor’s race field, according to CalMatters.
Supporters argue the nonprofit fills a gap for moderate candidates who lack a strong organizing infrastructure. Critics counter that a high-profile, donor-funded group like this risks amplifying the influence of a relatively small circle of wealthy backers across the entire state. Observers who track tech’s role in Bay Area politics say Garry’s List will test whether the playbook that helped reshape San Francisco can be scaled to California as a whole, a debate detailed by The New Republic.
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