This post has been updated to include a comment from Kara Swisher.
New York magazine calls Kara Swisher the "most feared and well-liked journalist" in Silicon Valley. Known for stirring a blend of anxiety and admiration among venture capitalists and tech executives, you might think the titans of the world's most influential companies would be relieved to see her move on to a new role.
In another 7 years, we may find out. The Re/code cofounder and former Wall Street Journal columnist has told the San Francisco Chronicle she plans to run for mayor of San Francisco in 2023.
"There is an important and necessary role for good government and I hate this wholesale tearing down of it. Also the increasing divide between tech sector and the city is something that I think a lot about. Not that I have solutions as yet," Swisher old the Chronicle in an email.
Inc. asked Swisher by email why she would wait until as late as 2023 to run, and how she thinks the tech world would react to her running. We will update if she responds. Update: Swisher said in an email that she's waiting until 2023 to run, rather than running in he next mayoral election, "Because I am busy with my job!"
Based on a tweet Swisher sent out, her staff is already having some fun with the news.
i think @KurtWagner8 wants a job in my upcoming mayoral administration and is already creating (borrowing) posters pic.twitter.com/uEM2bARLYb
-- Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) April 14, 2016
This isn't the first time Swisher has said she's running for office. Tweets dating back to late February convey that Swisher stated plans to run during the Lesbians Who Tech Summit.
"OMG. @karaswisher just announced her plans to run for SF mayor someday! #LWTSUMMIT," tweeted Meghan Christenson, who in her Twitter profile identifies herself as an employee of accelerator 500 Startups.
OMG. @karaswisher just announced her plans to run for SF mayor someday! #LWTSUMMIT pic.twitter.com/694f0vaFbu
-- Meghan Christenson (@megchristenson) February 27, 2016
The accelerator's CEO, Dave McClure, followed up his own enthusiastic comment.
RUN KARA RUN!@karaswisher 4 mayor@karaswisher 4 president@karaswisher 4 emperor https://t.co/ptYJKQmIrK
-- Dave McClure (@davemcclure) February 27, 2016
Tweets of surprise followed the Chronicle's post today.
Holy moly https://t.co/MNteyw5tkB
-- BEWARE: Ed Zitron (@edzitron) April 15, 2016
. @karaswisher running for San Francisco mayor. Didn't see that one coming. https://t.co/LSYpvC3CXW
-- seancaptain (@seancaptain) April 15, 2016
omg what's happening. is this real. please help. https://t.co/X80ZtR9iRS
-- Teresa Hammerl (@colazioneAroma) April 15, 2016
@adamlashinsky @karaswisher @SFGate I don't even live in SF and I would vote for her. Hopefully path to governer then....POTUS?
-- Christian (@christiancnguy) April 15, 2016
My former boss plans to run for mayor of San Francisco!!! I would definitely vote for @karaswisher https://t.co/eOtFXSZGRr
-- Anthony Quintano (@AnthonyQuintano) April 15, 2016
Re/code reporter Mark Bergen responded to a question over Twitter direct message about what he thought of his boss apparently running for office with a GIF. (Note to the uninitiated: this image is from a dream sequence in the nerdbait '90s tv show "Twin Peaks.")
