California’s Brown running for governor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Democrat Jerry Brown officially entered the California governor’s race Tuesday, giving the party an iconic candidate in a contest expected to be the most costly in state history.

The state attorney general, who served two terms as governor in the era before term limits, officially declared his candidacy on his Web site. The announcement has been expected for months, while Brown was quietly raising millions of dollars.

Brown, 71, is the only serious Democratic contender.

After the June primary, Brown will face of one of two wealthy Silicon Valley Republicans in the general election: former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, a billionaire, or state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.