In a surprising turn, Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the prominent venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), announced his support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ potential presidential campaign. This move marks a notable shift from his previous backing of former President Donald Trump, a position shared with his business partner, Marc Andreessen.
Horowitz made his announcement in a note to employees at a16z, which he later shared publicly on Twitter. In the note, Horowitz explained that he and his wife, Felicia, had known Harris for over a decade and described her as a “great friend” who had supported their firm during its formative years. Despite this personal connection, the endorsement comes as a sharp contrast to his and Andreessen’s previous political stance, which aligned with Trump during the 2020 presidential race.
Both Horowitz and Andreessen had previously supported Trump due to concerns over President Biden’s policies on cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI), which they believed were hostile to innovation in these industries. The shift from Trump to Harris, therefore, highlights a change in Horowitz’s political calculus, though the exact reasons behind his change of heart are not fully clear.
Horowitz’s endorsement, however, does not extend to the venture capital firm he co-founded. In his note, Horowitz clarified that a16z itself would not be supporting Harris’ campaign, citing her lack of detailed positions on key tech policy issues. The firm remains cautious about backing any political candidate without clear alignment on policies impacting Silicon Valley’s tech sector.
This move also underscores a growing political divide within Silicon Valley, where powerful venture capitalists and founders increasingly find themselves taking divergent stances. While many in the tech world had leaned toward Trump, citing his more favorable stance on innovation, Horowitz’s new position suggests that personal relationships and changing priorities are beginning to shift the landscape of political endorsements in the tech industry.
Axios was the first to report on Horowitz’s plans to support Harris, while The Information previously highlighted the tensions caused by Horowitz and Andreessen’s support of Trump in Silicon Valley. As the 2024 presidential race takes shape, it will be interesting to see how other influential figures in the tech world respond to these shifting alliances.