Gil Duran (born 1976) is an American journalist and political operative based in San Francisco. He has worked as a journalist, press secretary, communications director, and opinion editor, and is the author of the newsletter and forthcoming book "The Nerd Reich."
Early Life and Education
Duran was born in 1976. He spent part of his childhood in Tulare, California, living with his mother and younger sister. He later moved to Kentucky and attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington. He graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.
Career
Duran began his journalism career at the San Jose Mercury News in 1998. He subsequently worked as press secretary for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa from 2007 to 2008, communications director for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein from 2008 to 2010, and press secretary for California Governor Jerry Brown, a role from which he resigned in February 2013. In 2013, he served as communications director for Kamala Harris while she was California Attorney General.
In 2018, Duran was named California opinion editor for The Sacramento Bee, overseeing editorial strategy for McClatchy's five California news organizations. He has also served as editorial page editor for the San Francisco Examiner. His freelance journalism has appeared in The New Republic, The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Mission Local, among other outlets.
Political Affiliation and Analysis
Duran is a member of the Democratic Party. He has been frequently quoted by Politico and other outlets as a critic of Kamala Harris, and in 2022 Politico described him as "the go-to anti-Harris quote."
Newsletter and Book
Duran co-founded the FrameLab Newsletter with cognitive linguist Dr. George Lakoff. He also founded "The Nerd Reich," a newsletter about extremist tech politics. His book The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Global Democracy is forthcoming.
Personal Life
Duran is based in San Francisco, California. He has been a guest on KCRW, NPR, and other media outlets discussing tech politics, California policy, and the influence of Silicon Valley billionaires on democracy.
