Governors of the State of California No. Portrait Governor Term in office Party Election Previous office Lt. Governor Peter Hardeman Burnett (1807 - 11 - 15) November 15, 1807 -- (1895 - 05 - 17) May 17, 1895 (Aged 87) December 20, 1849 -- January 9, 1851 Democratic 1849 5th Supreme Judge of the Provisional Oregon Supreme Court (1845 -- 1846) John McDougal John McDougal ca. 1818 -- March 30, 1866 (Aged 48) January 9, 1851 -- January 8, 1852 Democratic 1st Lieutenant Governor of California (1849 -- 1851) David C. Broderick (acting) John Bigler January 8, 1805 -- November 29, 1871 (Aged 66) January 8, 1852 -- January 9, 1856 Democratic 1851 2nd Speaker of the California Assembly (1850 -- 1851) Samuel Purdy 1853 J. Neely Johnson August 2, 1825 -- August 31, 1872 (Aged 47) January 9, 1856 -- January 8, 1858 American 1855 California State Assemblyman (1852 -- 1856) Robert M. Anderson 5 John B. Weller February 22, 1812 -- August 17, 1875 (Aged 63) January 8, 1858 -- January 9, 1860 Democratic 1857 U.S. Senator from California (1852 -- 1857) Joseph Walkup 6 Milton Latham May 23, 1827 -- March 4, 1882 (Aged 54) January 9, 1860 -- January 14, 1860 Democratic 1859 U.S. Representative for California 's At - large (1853 -- 1855) John G. Downey 7 John G. Downey June 24, 1827 -- March 1, 1894 (Aged 66) January 14, 1860 -- January 10, 1862 Democratic 6th Lieutenant Governor of California (1860) Isaac N. Quinn (acting) (resigned January 7, 1861) Pablo de la Guerra (acting) 8 Leland Stanford March 9, 1824 -- June 21, 1893 (Aged 69) January 10, 1862 -- December 10, 1863 Republican 1861 1st President of Central Pacific Railroad (1861 -- 1893) John F. Chellis 9 Frederick Low June 30, 1828 -- July 21, 1894 (Aged 66) December 10, 1863 -- December 5, 1867 Republican 1863 U.S. Representative for California 's At - large (1862 -- 1863) Tim N. Machin 10 Henry Huntly Haight May 20, 1825 -- September 2, 1878 (Aged 53) December 5, 1867 -- December 8, 1871 Democratic 1867 None William Holden 11 Newton Booth December 30, 1825 -- July 14, 1892 (Aged 66) December 8, 1871 -- February 27, 1875 Republican 1871 California State Senator (1863) Romualdo Pacheco 12 Romualdo Pacheco October 31, 1831 -- January 23, 1899 (Aged 67) February 27, 1875 -- December 9, 1875 Republican 9th Lieutenant Governor of California (1871 -- 1875) William Irwin (acting) 13 William Irwin ca. 1827 -- March 15, 1886 (Aged 58 -- 59) December 9, 1875 -- January 8, 1880 Democratic 1875 Acting Lieutenant Governor of California (1875) James A. Johnson 14 George Clement Perkins August 23, 1839 -- February 26, 1923 (Aged 83) January 8, 1880 -- January 10, 1883 Republican 1879 California State Senator (1869 -- 1876) John Mansfield 15 George Stoneman August 8, 1822 -- September 5, 1894 (Aged 72) January 10, 1883 -- January 8, 1887 Democratic 1882 Major General of the Union Army (since 1861) John Daggett 16 Washington Bartlett February 29, 1824 -- September 12, 1887 (Aged 63) January 8, 1887 -- September 12, 1887 Democratic 1886 20th Mayor of San Francisco (1883 -- 1887) Robert Waterman 17 Robert Waterman December 15, 1826 -- April 12, 1891 (Aged 64) September 12, 1887 -- January 8, 1891 Republican 17th Lieutenant Governor of California (1887) Stephen M. White (acting) 18 Henry Markham November 16, 1840 -- October 9, 1923 (Aged 82) January 8, 1891 -- January 11, 1895 Republican 1890 U.S. Representative for California 's 1st (1885 -- 1887) John B. Reddick 19 James Budd May 18, 1851 -- July 30, 1908 (Aged 57) January 11, 1895 -- January 4, 1899 Democratic 1894 U.S. Representative for California 's 2nd (1883 -- 1885) Spencer G. Millard (died October 24, 1895) William T. Jeter 20 Henry Gage December 25, 1852 -- August 28, 1924 (Aged 71) January 4, 1899 -- January 7, 1903 Republican 1898 Federal prosecutor (since 1891) Jacob H. Neff 21 George Pardee July 25, 1857 -- September 1, 1941 (Aged 84) January 7, 1903 -- January 9, 1907 Republican 1902 29th Mayor of Oakland (1893 -- 1895) Alden Anderson 22 James Gillett September 20, 1860 -- April 20, 1937 (Aged 76) January 9, 1907 -- January 3, 1911 Republican 1906 U.S. Representative for California 's 1st (1903 -- 1906) Warren R. Porter 23 Hiram Johnson September 2, 1866 -- August 6, 1945 (Aged 78) January 3, 1911 -- March 15, 1917 Republican 1910 Assistant District attorney of California (1902 -- 1910) Albert Joseph Wallace Progressive 1914 John M. Eshleman (died February 28, 1916) Vacant William Stephens (took office July 22, 1916) 24 William Stephens December 26, 1859 -- April 25, 1944 (Aged 84) March 15, 1917 -- January 8, 1923 Republican 27th Lieutenant Governor of California (1916 -- 1917) Vacant 1918 C.C. Young 25 Friend Richardson December 1, 1865 -- September 6, 1943 (Aged 77) January 9, 1923 -- January 4, 1927 Republican 1922 21st California State Treasurer (1915 -- 1923) 26 C.C. Young April 28, 1869 -- December 24, 1947 (Aged 78) January 4, 1927 -- January 6, 1931 Republican 1926 29th Lieutenant Governor of California (1919 -- 1927) Buron Fitts (resigned November 30, 1928) Vacant H.L. Carnahan (appointed December 4, 1928) 27 James Rolph August 23, 1869 -- June 2, 1934 (Aged 64) January 6, 1931 -- June 2, 1934 Republican 1930 30th Mayor of San Francisco (1912 -- 1931) Frank Merriam 28 Frank Merriam December 22, 1865 -- April 25, 1955 (Aged 89) June 2, 1934 -- January 2, 1939 Republican 31st Lieutenant Governor of California (1931 -- 1934) Vacant 1934 George J. Hatfield 29 Culbert Olson November 7, 1876 -- April 13, 1962 (Aged 85) January 2, 1939 -- January 4, 1943 Democratic 1938 California State Senator (1934 -- 1938) Ellis E. Patterson 30 Earl Warren March 19, 1891 -- July 9, 1974 (Aged 83) January 4, 1943 -- October 5, 1953 Republican 1942 20th Attorney General of California (1939 -- 1943) Frederick F. Houser 1946 Goodwin Knight 1950 31 Goodwin Knight December 9, 1896 -- May 22, 1970 (Aged 73) October 5, 1953 -- January 5, 1959 Republican 35th Lieutenant Governor of California (1947 -- 1953) Harold J. Powers 1954 32 Pat Brown April 21, 1905 -- February 16, 1996 (Aged 90) January 5, 1959 -- January 2, 1967 Democratic 1958 23rd Attorney General of California (1951 -- 1959) Glenn M. Anderson 1962 33 Ronald Reagan February 6, 1911 -- June 5, 2004 (Aged 93) January 2, 1967 -- January 6, 1975 Republican 1966 9th and 13th President of the Screen Actors Guild (1947 -- 1952; 1959 -- 1960) Robert Finch (resigned January 8, 1969) Edwin Reinecke (resigned October 2, 1974) 1970 John L. Harmer 34 Jerry Brown born (1938 - 04 - 07) April 7, 1938 (age 80) January 6, 1975 -- January 3, 1983 Democratic 24th Secretary of State of California (1971 -- 1975) Mervyn M. Dymally 1978 Michael Curb 35 George Deukmejian June 6, 1928 -- May 8, 2018 (Aged 89) January 3, 1983 -- January 7, 1991 Republican 1982 27th Attorney General of California (1979 -- 1983) Leo T. McCarthy 1986 36 Pete Wilson born (1933 - 08 - 23) August 23, 1933 (age 85) January 7, 1991 -- January 4, 1999 Republican U.S. Senator from California (1983 -- 1991) Gray Davis 37 Gray Davis born (1942 - 12 - 26) December 26, 1942 (age 75) January 4, 1999 -- November 17, 2003 Democratic 1998 44th Lieutenant Governor of California (1995 -- 1999) Cruz Bustamante 2002 38 Arnold Schwarzenegger born (1947 - 07 - 30) July 30, 1947 (age 71) November 17, 2003 -- January 3, 2011 Republican Chair of the President 's Council on Fitness and Sports (1990 -- 1993) 2006 John Garamendi (resigned November 3, 2009) Mona Pasquil (Acting) Abel Maldonado (appointed April 27, 2010) 39 Jerry Brown born (1938 - 04 - 07) April 7, 1938 (age 80) January 3, 2011 -- Present Democratic 31st Attorney General of California (2007 -- 2011) 34th Governor of California (1975 -- 1983) Gavin Newsom (took office January 10, 2011) 2014
is the governor of california democrat or republican
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