Originally published in Fox & Hounds Daily

We’ll soon have two presidents, and one will live in Sacramento

There’s the guy that a plurality of American voters elected Tuesday. He arrives in office as the most unpopular president elect in U.S. history. He’s reviled – and rightly so – by many for his bigotry and belief in all sorts of discredited nonsense. He’s seen as a threat to the republic.

But he leads a Republican party that controls the White House and both houses of Congress. Who is the highest-ranking Democrat in DC? Schumer or Pelosi, if they can hold onto their posts. But they don’t really matter.

No, the most consequential and important Democrat in the United States is the Democrat who governs more Americans than anyone save the president.

Meet Jerry Brown, your shadow president.

His last two years now can’t be as quiet as his first six years have been. He will have to speak up, strategize, and be more active.

He is the leading representative of those Americans – and we are a majority – who will not yield to Trump.

Regular readers of this space know that I’m a critic, not a fan, of Gov. Brown. While I agree with him on most of the issues, I don’t think he’s been anywhere close to as bold as he ought to have been in reshaping California’s governance system.

But right now and for the next two years, that matters less than his national, even international role.

You’re our president now, Jerry. Please don’t let us down.

Joe Mathews, is Connecting California Columnist and Editor for Zócalo Public Square and a contributor to Fox & Hounds Daily -- a website designed to discuss and explain the confluence of politics and business in California, providing news and commentary on California politics and business and offer a full roster of leading political and business insiders providing original content on important issues.

PLEASE NOTE: The information, statements and opinions expressed here are solely those of the respective authors and do not reflect the views of KCETLink. KCETLink makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy or reliability with respect thereto for any purpose.