View source for Gray Davis

==Early career==
Davis volunteered for [[John V. Tunney]]'s campaign for the [[United States Senate]] in 1970.<ref name="Interview"/> He started a statewide neighborhood crime watch program while serving as chairman of the California Council on Criminal Justice.<ref name="Shining"/> His initial political experience included working to help [[Tom Bradley (American politician)|Tom Bradley]] win election as Los Angeles's first black mayor in 1973. The historical significance of Bradley's victory further inspired Davis to pursue a career in politics.<ref name="Interview"/> Davis ran for [[California State Treasurer|state treasurer]] in 1974 but lost when the more popular [[Jesse Unruh]] filed to run on the deadline.<ref name="Interview"/>

Davis served as executive secretary and chief of staff to Governor [[Jerry Brown|Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown Jr.]] from 1975 to 1981. Davis was not as liberal as Brown, and some said he offset Brown's style by projecting a more intense, controlled personality.<ref name="Shining"/> Davis has stated that while Brown was [[1980 Democratic Party presidential primaries|campaigning for president]] in 1980, Davis ran the state in Brown's absence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5772248602797859367&q=Gray+Davis&total=237&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1 |title=Interview with Gray Davis Part II |access-date=2010-08-14 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Davis served as the [[California State Assembly|Assemblyman]] from the 43rd district, representing parts of [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]] including [[West Los Angeles]] and [[Beverly Hills]]<ref name="NewGovs_WP">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/newgovs110598.htm |title=The New Governors| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305093208/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/newgovs110598.htm |archive-date=2016-03-05 |df=mdy-all |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=November 5, 1998 |page=A41 |access-date=September 8, 2007}}</ref> from 1983 to 1987. Davis championed a popular campaign to help find missing children by placing their pictures on milk cartons and grocery bags.<ref name="Shining"/><ref name="Style"/> Davis's Republican opponent in the race, William Campbell, criticized Davis as "...the man special interests love most." Among other allegations raised by Campbell were disclosures that Davis had received campaign contributions from Eugene LaPietra, a candidate for the West Hollywood City Council who was convicted on federal pornography charges. LaPietra served as Davis’ finance chairman.<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 October 1986|title=GOP's Campbell Notes 'Unsavory Highlights' in Opponent's Career|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-30-mn-8550-story.html|access-date=2020-12-01|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Davis cut all ties with La Pietra following a ''Los Angeles Times'' report on his pornography convictions.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1986-09-26|title=Davis Drops Aide Linked to 2 Porno Convictions|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-26-mn-9267-story.html|access-date=2020-12-01|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref>