Jerry Brown declares candidacy for governor

Jerry Brown, California Democratic attorney general and a longtime Californian politician, announced his candidacy for governor this morning over a video posted on his website.

Brown, 71, discussed the current state of California politics and said the state government has hit problems because of a lack of experience in Sacramento.

“We found out that not knowing is not good. We need someone with insider’s knowledge but an outsiders mind,” Brown said in the taped video.

Brown served as governor of California from 1975 to 1983. He was also elected as Oakland’s mayor for 9 years and California’s secretary of state. He has been serving as the California Democratic attorney general since 2007. Brown said he has seen the California government from every angle because of his various positions over the years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Brown emphasized that Californians must work together, whether that means republicans working with democrats, oil companies working with environmentalists, or unions working with business.

He also told viewers no new taxes would approved unless people voted for them and that Sacramento needs to give authority and decision making power back to cities, counties and local schools.

“At this stage in my life I’m prepared to focus on nothing else but fixing this state I love,” Brown said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Brown had been planning on running for two years now and faces no “serious primary election opposition.”

Brown will be running against Republican candidate Meg Whitman, former eBay CEO or Steve Poizner, who is currently serving as the California Insurance Commissioner.