The Daily Breeze
June 7, 2006
dailybreeze.com
Brown gets attorney general nod; Bowen wins secretary of state spot
By Michael Gardner
Copley News Service
SACRAMENTO — Former Gov. Jerry Brown’s ongoing political
metamorphosis enters a new stage today, this time as the Democrats’
choice for attorney general.
Known more for his colorful and controversial eight years as governor
than for his latest job as mayor of Oakland, Brown held a commanding
lead over Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.
South Bay Sen. Debra Bowen won the her race for secretary of state
with 61 percent of the vote.
Republican Claude Parrish, a member of the Board of Equalization from
Rancho Palos Verdes, won the battle for treasurer. Another current tax
board member, Democrat John Chiang of Torrance, beat his primary rival
for state Controller.
Two highly contentious Board of Equalization campaigns featured
Assemblyman Jerome Horton, D-Inglewood, in one race and local GOP
activist Michelle Steel of Palos Verdes in another campaign.
Horton lost to Assemblywoman Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, on the
Democratic side for the 4th District seat, by a significant margin.
In the 3rd District, Steel defeated her rival, Assemblyman Ray Haynes,
R-Murrietta, in the GOP primary.
Between now and November, Brown will certainly face controversies from
his past — his appointment of Rose Bird as California Supreme Court
chief justice, the medfly crisis and his ill-fated plunge into
presidential politics.
All that and more will be fodder for Chuck Poochigian, who ran
unopposed for the Republican nomination. Nevertheless, the
little-known state senator from Fresno has the challenge of taking
down a California political legend.
“He obviously has a level of celebrity that presents a challenge,”
said Poochigian. “At the same time, he has a long record. The more the
public knows about that record, the better off I am and the people
are.”
Brown immediately returned fire.
“I have the cops on my side,” he said. Brown has planned a campaign
swing for today joined by police in San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno and
Sacramento.