Willie Brown

From dKosopedia

Categories: California Democrats | San Francisco

Willie L. Brown, Jr., b. 1934 in Mineola, Texas. Served as a California Assemblyman, representing San Francisco from 1964 to 1995, and was a Democrat. He was Speaker of the Assembly from 1980 until 1995, and was perhaps the most powerful man to ever hold that position in California. In 1995 he was elected Mayor of San Francisco, and served two terms. In 2003 Gavin Newsom, a protege, was elected to succeed Brown.

In addition to having been one of the most powerful Californians of the 20th century, he was also one of the most polarizing.