Jerry Brown (born 1938)

Jerry Brown (born 1938)
Name	Jerry Brown
Caption	Jerry Brown in 2015
Birth date	April 7, 1938
Birth place	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Party	Democratic Party
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley; Yale Law School; Loyola High School
Occupation	Politician; Attorney; Author
Offices	Governor of California; Attorney General of California; Mayor of Oakland; Secretary of State of California

Jerry Brown (born 1938) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 34th and 39th Governor of California. Over a political career spanning six decades he held statewide offices including California Secretary of State and California Attorney General, led the city of Oakland as mayor, and sought the Democratic presidential nomination multiple times. Brown is noted for his pragmatic fiscal management, environmental advocacy, and influence on California policy debates.

Early life and education

Brown was born in San Francisco to Pat Brown and Bernice Layne Brown, a family active in California Democratic Party politics. He grew up in San Francisco and attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory and Loyola High School before enrolling at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and served as student body president during the era of the Free Speech Movement. Brown then attended Yale Law School, receiving a Juris Doctor, and clerked for federal judges before entering state politics.

Political career

Brown first won statewide office as California Secretary of State in 1970, defeating James L. Flournoy to become a prominent figure in the Democratic Party. In 1974 he was elected Governor of California, succeeding Ronald Reagan's successor, and served two terms. After leaving the governorship in 1983 he sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976 and 1980, later running again in 1992. Brown returned to elective office as Mayor of Oakland in 1999, where he confronted issues involving the Oakland Police Department, urban redevelopment, and fiscal reform. He was elected Attorney General of California in 2006, defeating Republican Charles Poochigian and serving until 2011, when he mounted a successful campaign for governor again.

Governorship (1975–1983; 2011–2019)

During his first tenure as governor from 1975 to 1983, Brown emphasized fiscal restraint, appointing fiscal conservatives to key posts and overseeing state responses to the 1978 Proposition 13 property tax revolt and interactions with the California State Assembly and California State Senate. He promoted environmental initiatives and sought to decentralize state power through experiments with regional governance. After decades outside the governor's office, Brown was elected again in 2010, succeeding Arnold Schwarzenegger, and won reelection in 2014. His second tenure (2011–2019) coincided with the recovery from the Great Recession and debates over California High-Speed Rail Authority, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), and implementation of Affordable Care Act provisions at the state level. Brown presided over budget surpluses, fought fiscal crises tied to pension liabilities and the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), and used executive clemency powers sparingly while commuting sentences in high-profile cases. His administration engaged with the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board on climate policy and entered interstate compacts with states like Oregon and Washington on cap-and-trade and clean energy initiatives.

Presidential and other campaigns

Brown mounted bids for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976 against figures such as Jimmy Carter and in 1980 while running unconventional campaigns that emphasized fiscal discipline and progressive social stands. He ran again in 1992, participating in a crowded primary that included Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton (lawyer) (as an opponent), and Paul Tsongas. Brown also pursued U.S. Senate ambitions in earlier phases of his career and was considered a perennial candidate whose independent style influenced debates within the Democratic Party. His campaigns highlighted tensions between establishment figures and insurgent reformers within national and state party structures.

Policies and political positions

Brown advanced policies blending fiscal conservatism with progressive social and environmental priorities. He supported strong controls on air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions through cooperation with the California Air Resources Board and advanced renewable energy goals aligned with the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. On fiscal matters he prioritized balanced budgets, rainy day funds, and debt reduction measures in collaboration with the California State Legislature and Department of Finance (California). Brown's criminal justice actions included advocacy for rehabilitation and reform, involvement with reform advocates and legal organizations, and executive clemency measures that affected California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation policies. He navigated contentious issues such as water management in relation to the California State Water Project, land use controversies involving the California Coastal Commission, and urban policy initiatives during his mayoralty in Oakland that addressed redevelopment agencies and policing reforms.

Personal life and legacy

Brown is the son of former governor Pat Brown and the brother of Cesar Chavez-era contemporaries and California political figures who shaped mid-20th-century state politics. Married and divorced in his personal history, he is known for a contemplative public persona shaped by study of Buddhism and extensive travel, including time in Japan and engagement with civic leaders worldwide. Brown authored books and policy papers and maintained relationships with academic institutions such as the University of California system and Stanford University scholars. His legacy is debated across the political spectrum: supporters credit him with fiscal stewardship, environmental leadership, and institutional reforms, while critics cite challenges on housing affordability, homelessness, and pension liabilities linked to CalPERS. Brown remains a significant figure in California politics and American statecraft, with influence on subsequent governors, legislators, and policy advocates.

Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:Governors of California Category:California Democrats