See also: Davis

Gray Davis (born the December 26th 1942) is an American politician, member of the Democratic party and governor of California of 1999 with 2003.

Assistant of the former Governor Jerry Brown, it is elected at the assembly of California of 1983 with 1987, then State Controller (Minister for the Budget) until in 1995.

In 1995, it is elected Lieutenant-Governor (Vice-Governor) at the side of the republican governor Pete Wilson, then itself is elected Gouverneur of the State of California in 1998 with 57,9% of the voices, putting fine at a long domination republicans.

Thanks to this rapid rise, he is seen like a possible hope of the democratic party for the presidential elections of 2004.

But the crisis of the energy of 2001 and the deficit of the Californian budget in 2003 will put a term at this career.

In November 2002, in spite of its unpopularity, it operates skilfully to interfere in the republican primary educations and to make draw aside its more frightening adversary, Richard Riordan, old Maire of Los Angeles and republican centrist. Davis finds himself then vis-a-vis Bill Simon, a preserving ultra republican candidate, whom it beats rather easily in November 2002 with a score however quite lower than what was awaited in such a political configuration.

Throughout the year 2003, Gray Davis must face a procedure of recall (revocation) started by the success of a petition asking for her dismissal and which collects sufficient signatures so that a Référendum is organized to decide on its fate.

The October 7th 2003, the procedure chief clerk of dismissal is then coupled with the election of a new governor. As waited, Gray Davis is relieved by 54% of the voters against 46% which maintained its confidence to him.

It is the republican actor Arnold Schwarzenegger which is elected like new governor of the state and which between in function in November to finish the mandate of Davis.