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Willie Brown Endorses Tom Steyer in California Governor's Race

The longtime Assembly speaker's nod signals establishment backing for a self-funded progressive one month before California's top-two primary.

Overview

  • The endorsement, announced Tuesday, gives Steyer a boost from a 92-year-old power broker who led the Assembly and served as San Francisco mayor.
  • Brown's nod adds establishment heft to a roster that already includes SEIU California, IFPTE Local 21, Our Revolution and the California Nurses Association.
  • Steyer has put more than $146 million of his own money into the race, topping Meg Whitman’s 2010 record.
  • He is vying with former HHS secretary Xavier Becerra for frontrunner status as California’s June 2 top-two primary approaches, which advances the two highest vote-getters regardless of party.
  • He is running on climate action, a tax on billionaires, single-payer health care and breaking up utility monopolies, a mix that some coverage said made Brown’s support a surprise.