Sacramento, CA Past Governors of California Governor Young signing a bill, 1927 Inauguration of James Rolph, Governor of California, 1931 Governor Culbert L. Olson, circa 1939

Peter Burnett
1849–1851
John McDougal
1851–1852
John Bigler
1852–1856
J. Neely Johnson
1856–1858
John Weller
1858–1860
Milton Latham
1860–1860
John Downey
1860–1862
Leland Stanford
1862–1863
Frederick Low
1863–1867
Henry Haight
1867–1871
Newton Booth
1871–1875
Romualdo Pacheco
1875–1875
William Irwin
1875–1880
George Perkins
1880–1883
George Stoneman
1883–1887
Washington Bartlett
1887–1887
Robert Waterman
1887–1891
Henry Harrison Markham
1891–1895
James Budd
1895–1899
Henry Gage
1899–1903
George Pardee
1903–1907
James Gillett
1907–1911
Hiram Johnson
1911–1917
William Stephens
1917–1923
Friend Richardson
1923–1927
C.C. Young
1927–1931
James Rolph
1931–1934
Frank Merriam
1934–1939
Culbert Olson
1939–1943
Earl Warren
1943–1953
Goodwin Knight
1953–1959
Edmund G. "Pat" Brown
1959–1967
Ronald Reagan
1967–1975
Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown
1975–1983
George Deukmejian
1983–1991
Pete Wilson
1991–1999
Gray Davis
1999–2003
Arnold Schwarzenegger
2003–2011
Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown
2011–2019
Gavin Newsom
2019–Present

Gray Davis

1999–2003

Significant Facts

Born: December 26, 1942 in Bronx, NY
Married: Sharon Ryer
Political Party: Democrat

Family

Father: Joseph Graham Davis Sr.
Mother: Doris Meyer Morell
Wife: Sharon Ryer
Children: None

Find out more about the time period and interests of Gray Davis

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
California Climate Action Registry

Did You Know?

In Vietnam Gray Davis earned the Bronze Star for meritorious service
Gray Davis’ mother did not want to refer to him “Little Joe.” She used the “Gra” out of Graham and nicknamed him Gray

Biography

Gray Davis’ family left the Bronx in 1954 and settled in the Santa Monica Mountains. He was a popular kid who did extremely well both as a student and an athlete.

Gray Davis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Stanford University and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University Law School. In 1961, while at Stanford University, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps. After graduating from law school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of captain while serving in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969.

From 1975 to 1981, he was Chief of Staff to Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. Gray Davis represented Los Angeles County in the Assembly from 1983 through 1987. Following his term as an Assembly member, he was elected as the State Controller–a post he held until 1995. Gray then served as Lieutenant Governor from 1995 to 1999, during which he focused his efforts on keeping jobs in California and encouraging business to locate and expand within California. Gray served as governor from 1999 to 2003. He lost the governorship through recall by popular vote in 2003. He is currently affiliated with the Los Angeles office of the law firm Loeb & Loeb LLP.

Budgets

Governor's Budget

Governor's Budget (PDF)
Governor's Revised Budget (PDF)

Governor's Budget (PDF)
Governor's Revised Budget (PDF)

Governor's Budget (PDF)
Governor's Revised Budget (PDF)

Governor's Budget (PDF)
Governor's Revised Budget (PDF)

Speeches

Inaugural Address delivered on January 4, 1999
Inaugural Address delivered on January 6, 2003
State of the State Address delivered on January 7, 1999
State of the State Address delivered on January 5, 2000
State of the State Address delivered on January 8, 2001
State of the State Address delivered on January 8, 2002
State of the State Address delivered on January 8, 2003

Bibliography

Books and Articles

Ferrell, “Davis’ Friends Fall Away, Ambition Endures,” Los Angeles Times, October 10, 2002
Schaechtele. The Governors of California and their Portraits, California State Capitol Museum Volunteer Association, 1995

Websites

National Governor’s Association

Gray Davis

Executive Orders and Proclamations

Use the California State Library’s interactive tool to view Executive Orders and Proclamations signed by Governor Davis.

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