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Could Democrats be Jerry Brown’s biggest challenge?

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As Jerry Brown heads to Sacramento for his first meeting with legislative leaders since becoming governor-elect, he may find some things have changed since he last sat in the governor’s office 27 years ago.

‘There’s nothing about this Legislature that is the same as when Jerry Brown was governor the first time,’ said Garry South, a former counselor to Gov. Gray Davis who was one of Brown’s chief Democratic critics during the campaign.

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‘There were no term limits, no campaign contribution limits.’ South said the new political landscape may be a culture shock for Brown, who was governor from 1975 to 1983. Speaking at a post-election news conference sponsored by Capitol Weekly and the Los Angeles Times, South said Brown may find Democrats, not Republicans, are his greatest obstacle to success.

South said Davis found himself ‘jammed’ by a Democratic Legislature that sent Davis bills -- like the measure to provide drivers licenses to illegal immigrants -- that were no-win situations for Davis and were ‘ultimately part if his political undoing.’

Republican strategist Sal Russo said that during his first stint as governor, Brown was cantankerous and argumentative and generally hard to get along with. ‘The worst of being a Jesuit came out in him,’ Russo quipped. ‘Even when he agreed with you he disagreed with you. ‘

--Anthony York in Sacramento

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