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Skelton: Jerry Brown improves with age, experience

Gov. Jerry Brown, right, joins his parents, including former Gov. Pat Brown, after being sworn in to his second term as governor on Jan. 8, 1979. Jerry Brown has become the longest-serving California governor in history.
Gov. Jerry Brown, right, joins his parents, including former Gov. Pat Brown, after being sworn in to his second term as governor on Jan. 8, 1979. Jerry Brown has become the longest-serving California governor in history.
(Walter Zaboski / Associated Press)
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Jerry Brown became the longest-serving governor in California history this month, surpassing Earl Warren’s nearly 11 years in office. Brown’s lead in the record books will widen if he runs for reelection next year and wins.

In his Monday column, George Skelton takes stock of how Brown has changed from his first round in the governor’s office, which lasted from 1975 to 1983.

“Brown was not a very good governor during his first stint,” Skelton says. “He was entertaining but distracted by presidential ambition, running two losing races.”

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That short attention span seems to be a thing of the past.

“As his governing experience increases, Brown becomes more and more effective,” Skelton says. “Brown — further educated by his tenures as Oakland mayor and state attorney general — has become more focused and selective in his priorities.”

All of Skelton’s columns are here.

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California’s alternative-energy program under scrutiny

Immigration bills benefited from a more engaged Gov. Brown

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