Jerry Brown

Jerry Brown
Born	Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. 7 4, 1938
Birthplace	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer, author
Known for	34th and 39th Governor of California; longest-serving governor in California history
Education	Yale Law School (J.D.)
Spouse(s)	Anne Gust (m. 2005)

Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938), commonly known as Jerry Brown, is an American lawyer, author, and politician whose career in public life has spanned more than five decades. A member of the Democratic Party, Brown served as the 34th and 39th Governor of California across two non-consecutive stretches—from 1975 to 1983 and again from 2011 to 2019—making him both the youngest and oldest person to hold the office during the modern era. The son of former California Governor Pat Brown, the younger Brown carved out a distinctive political identity marked by fiscal austerity, environmental advocacy, and an unconventional personal style that earned him the enduring nickname "Governor Moonbeam." Before and between his gubernatorial tenures, Brown held an array of other offices: he served as Secretary of State of California (1971–1975), Mayor of Oakland (1999–2007), and Attorney General of California (2007–2011). He also mounted three unsuccessful campaigns for the presidency of the United States, in 1976, 1980, and 1992. On October 7, 2013, Brown became the longest-serving governor in California history, surpassing Earl Warren, and upon completing his fourth term, he ranked as the fourth-longest-serving governor in American history, having spent a total of sixteen years and five days in the office.

Early Life

Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. was born on April 7, 1938, in San Francisco, California. He was the son of Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown Sr., who later served as the 32nd Governor of California from 1959 to 1967, and Bernice Layne Brown. Growing up in a prominent political family, Jerry Brown was immersed in California's civic culture from a young age. His father's career in public service—first as San Francisco's district attorney, then as attorney general, and finally as governor—provided the younger Brown with an intimate understanding of the workings of state government.

As a young man, Brown pursued a path that diverged sharply from conventional political preparation. He entered a Jesuit seminary, spending several years studying for the priesthood before ultimately deciding not to take religious vows. His time in the seminary left a lasting imprint on his intellectual outlook and personal discipline, instilling in him a fondness for classical learning, including the study of Latin, as well as an ascetic sensibility that would later become one of his defining characteristics as a public figure. After leaving the seminary, Brown redirected his energies toward secular education and the law, enrolling at the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed his undergraduate studies.

Education

Brown graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, before continuing his legal education at Yale Law School, one of the most selective law schools in the United States. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Yale, which equipped him for a career in law and, ultimately, in politics. His educational background—combining a rigorous undergraduate program at a major public university with an elite private law school—provided Brown with both a broad intellectual foundation and professional credentials that would underpin his long career in government.

Career

Early Political Career and Secretary of State (1969–1975)

Brown began his political career at the local level, winning election to the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees in 1969, a position he held until 1971. This relatively modest entry into electoral politics provided Brown with early experience in governance and public administration. In 1970, he ran for the office of Secretary of State of California and won, taking office in January 1971. As Secretary of State, Brown oversaw the state's elections, managed official records, and gained statewide name recognition that positioned him for higher office. His tenure as Secretary of State was marked by efforts to promote transparency and reform in California's political system.

First Two Terms as Governor (1975–1983)

In 1974, at the age of 36, Jerry Brown was elected Governor of California, making him the youngest person to hold the office in 111 years. He took office on January 6, 1975, succeeding Ronald Reagan. Brown's first term was characterized by a distinctive governing philosophy that combined fiscal conservatism with progressive social and environmental policies. He famously eschewed many of the perquisites of the governorship, declining to live in the newly constructed governor's mansion and instead renting a modest apartment in Sacramento. He also refused the use of a state limousine, opting to drive a Plymouth sedan—gestures that reinforced his image as a frugal and unconventional leader.

During his first stint as governor, Brown championed environmental causes, invested in renewable energy development, and supported farm workers' rights, signing the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act. He also made notable judicial appointments, including the appointment of Rose Bird as the first female Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court—a decision that became a source of significant political controversy in subsequent years.

Brown won reelection in 1978, securing a second term that extended through January 1983. During this period, he grappled with the aftermath of Proposition 13, the landmark ballot measure that drastically reduced property taxes in California and reshaped the state's fiscal landscape. Brown's response to the tax revolt drew both praise for his adaptability and criticism from those who felt he had not adequately prepared the state for the measure's consequences.

His political ambitions extended beyond Sacramento during these years. Brown entered the 1976 Democratic presidential primary, mounting a late but surprisingly competitive challenge to Jimmy Carter. He won several state primaries but entered the race too late to overtake Carter, who secured the nomination. Brown ran again for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1980, once more failing to secure the party's nod. His presidential campaigns, while unsuccessful, raised his national profile and showcased his willingness to challenge the party establishment.

Brown declined to seek a third consecutive gubernatorial term in 1982 and instead ran for the United States Senate. He lost the general election to Pete Wilson, then the mayor of San Diego, who would himself later serve as governor of California. The Senate defeat marked the end of Brown's first extended period in public office and inaugurated a lengthy interlude away from elected government.

Time Away from Office and the 1992 Presidential Campaign

Following his Senate loss, Brown traveled abroad, including a period spent in Japan and India, where he studied Zen Buddhism and engaged with international issues. Upon returning to California, he took on the role of Chairman of the California Democratic Party, serving from 1989 to 1991. In this capacity, he worked to rebuild and strengthen the state party organization.

In 1992, Brown made his third and final bid for the presidency, entering the Democratic primary against Bill Clinton, the governor of Arkansas. Brown ran a populist campaign that anticipated many themes of later reform movements, including a focus on the corrupting influence of money in politics. He proposed a flat tax and refused to accept campaign donations above $100, funding his campaign in part through a toll-free telephone number. Although he won several primaries and remained in the race longer than most of Clinton's other challengers, Brown ultimately fell short, and Clinton went on to win the nomination and the presidency.

After his third presidential campaign, Brown settled in Oakland, where he hosted a politically oriented talk radio show called "We the People" on Pacifica Radio. The show allowed Brown to remain a voice in public discourse while he was out of elected office, and it reflected his longstanding interest in direct engagement with citizens and ideas outside the mainstream political establishment.

Mayor of Oakland (1999–2007)

Brown returned to elected office in 1998 when he ran for mayor of Oakland, winning the election and taking office in January 1999. His mayoral tenure was marked by ambitious efforts to revitalize a city that had long struggled with crime, poverty, and economic stagnation. Brown pursued downtown redevelopment, sought to attract new residents and businesses to Oakland, and set a goal of bringing 10,000 new residents to the city's downtown core. His administration oversaw a building boom that included new residential developments, a military charter school, and various infrastructure improvements.

Brown's time as mayor was not without controversy. Critics charged that his development-oriented approach sometimes prioritized gentrification over the needs of existing low-income residents, and his governing style—characterized by strong executive action and occasional clashes with the city council—drew both admirers and detractors. Nevertheless, the period of his mayoralty coincided with a measurable economic and demographic revitalization of Oakland's urban center.

Attorney General of California (2007–2011)

In 2006, Brown ran for Attorney General of California, winning the election and taking office in January 2007. As attorney general, Brown was the state's chief law enforcement officer and legal counsel. His tenure was notable for actions on environmental enforcement, consumer protection, and criminal justice. The office also positioned him for yet another gubernatorial campaign. During his time as attorney general, Brown began laying the groundwork for his return to the governor's office, capitalizing on his deep experience in California government and his high name recognition among the state's voters.

Third and Fourth Terms as Governor (2011–2019)

In 2010, Brown ran for governor for the third time, facing Republican nominee Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay, in the general election. Despite Whitman's record-breaking personal spending on her campaign, Brown won decisively, returning to the governor's office nearly three decades after he had last held it. His eligibility to serve additional terms stemmed from a grandfather clause in California's constitution; the state's term limits, enacted after Brown's earlier governorship, did not apply retroactively to his prior service.

Brown was inaugurated on January 3, 2011, succeeding Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. He inherited a state beset by severe fiscal problems, including a budget deficit of approximately $25 billion in the wake of the Great Recession. His third term was dominated by efforts to restore California's fiscal health. Brown pursued a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases, successfully campaigning for Proposition 30 in 2012, a ballot measure that temporarily raised income and sales taxes to fund education and balance the state budget. The measure's passage was seen as a significant political achievement and helped stabilize California's finances.

Brown won reelection in 2014, securing his fourth term as governor by a wide margin. His second period as governor was marked by continued fiscal discipline, resulting in the elimination of the state's budget deficit and the creation of a substantial rainy-day reserve fund. He also pursued an ambitious agenda on climate change, signing legislation committing California to aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets and positioning the state as a leader in environmental policy on both the national and international stage.

Other major policy areas during Brown's third and fourth terms included criminal justice reform, infrastructure investment—most notably the controversial California High-Speed Rail project—and water policy, as the state contended with a historic multi-year drought. Brown declared a statewide drought emergency in 2014 and implemented mandatory water conservation measures.

On October 7, 2013, Brown became the longest-serving governor in California history, surpassing the record previously held by Earl Warren. Upon completing his fourth term on January 7, 2019, he had served a total of sixteen years and five days as governor, making him the fourth-longest-serving governor in the history of the United States. He was succeeded by his lieutenant governor, Gavin Newsom.

Personal Life

Jerry Brown is the son of former Governor Pat Brown and Bernice Layne Brown. His family's deep roots in California politics made the Browns one of the state's most prominent political dynasties. Brown's sister, Kathleen Brown, also entered politics, running unsuccessfully for governor of California in 1994.

Brown married Anne Gust, a former Gap Inc. executive, in 2005. The couple does not have children. For much of his public career, Brown was known for his austere personal habits, a characteristic often attributed to his years of seminary training and his interest in Zen Buddhism and philosophy.

After leaving the governor's office in January 2019, Brown retired to his family's ranch in Colusa County, California, where he has focused on issues related to nuclear disarmament and climate change through the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, for which he serves as executive chair.

Recognition

Brown's long career in public life has generated considerable attention from historians, journalists, and political commentators. His record of service as the longest-serving governor in California history—and one of the longest-serving governors in the nation's history—has been widely documented. His tenure is frequently discussed in the context of California's evolution as a political, economic, and cultural force in the United States.

Brown's unconventional political style—combining fiscal conservatism with progressive social policies, and marked by a willingness to challenge party orthodoxy—has been the subject of extensive media coverage and scholarly analysis. His three presidential campaigns, while unsuccessful, are noted for introducing ideas and campaign practices that later became more widespread, including small-donor fundraising and a focus on the influence of money in politics.

His appointment of Rose Bird as Chief Justice and the resulting political backlash have been examined as a significant episode in California's judicial history. Brown's environmental record, particularly during his third and fourth terms, has also received substantial attention, with California's climate policies under his leadership frequently cited in national and international discussions of environmental governance.

Legacy

Jerry Brown's legacy in California and American politics is shaped by the extraordinary breadth and duration of his public service. Spanning more than four decades of elected office—from a community college board seat to four terms as governor, with stints as secretary of state, party chairman, mayor, and attorney general—Brown's career is among the most varied and extensive in American political history.

His fiscal stewardship during his final two terms as governor, which saw California move from a massive budget deficit to a surplus, is frequently cited as one of his most significant accomplishments. The rainy-day fund he championed provided the state with a financial cushion that proved valuable in subsequent economic downturns. His environmental leadership, particularly on climate change, positioned California as a counterweight to federal policies and established the state as a model for sub-national climate action.

Brown's political identity defied easy categorization. His fiscal conservatism sometimes put him at odds with fellow Democrats, while his progressive positions on social and environmental issues distinguished him from Republicans. This ideological independence, combined with his willingness to return to public service in new capacities after electoral setbacks, has been noted as a defining characteristic of his career.

As the son of a governor who himself served four terms in the same office, Brown's career also represents a notable chapter in the story of American political dynasties. The Brown family's influence on California governance, spanning from Pat Brown's era of massive public works projects through Jerry Brown's more austere approach, reflects broader shifts in American political philosophy over the second half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first.