15 years ago last Sunday, Governor Gray Davis got a pretty raw deal. The voters were angry over the latest round in California’s formerly gridlocked and chaotic budget process. The Republicans – led by the odious and cowardly Darrel Issa – demonstrated their utter contempt for democracy by staging a phony recall. The combination of Republican lies and Schwarzenegger’s star power was just a little too much to overcome, and October 7, 2003, the recall passed with a modest 52 percent of the vote.
But here’s the thing: Gray Davis was a damn fine Governor. He massively expanded education funding, he worked with Hillary Clinton to establish the Children’s Health Insurance Program that covered millions of California kids, he passed some of the most forward thinking and progressive LGBT rights laws in America, and he signed gun safety laws that have saved thousands of lives in the two decades since he was elected in 1998.
We’ll certainly admit… he definitely wasn’t Governor Feely McFeelington. But he led a Democratic resurgence in California politics and policy that continues to this day, and many of the most successful Democratic Party leaders in California, including CDP Chair Eric C. Bauman, were part of that historic 1998 campaign. And California was made better by Gray Davis’ tenure as Governor.
Naturally, all of our attention is focused on Gavin Newsom’s campaign to succeed Governor Brown, and build on these tremendously successful eight years. But we would be remiss if we didn’t take this moment to thank the Governor who shattered a 16 year losing streak for Democrats, and set the stage for our continued success in California elections.
Thanks chief!
