No. 23: Capitol Weekly’s Top 100

23. Evan Westrup

Press Secretary Evan Westrup has handled Gov. Jerry Brown’s press chores for a decade, first in the state attorney general’s office, then in Brown’s last two campaigns for governor and now in the governor’s official office. He is one of a very few on the daily “morning call” with the governor when the day gets planned, policies get sorted out and, maybe, crises resolved. “He’s up with Brown in the morning and stays with him until he goes to bed,” said one administration official familiar with Brown’s executive suite. “Every time [the Top 100] list comes out, everyone here wonders why Evan isn’t on it.” Mea culpa: We thought Westrup answered to a communications director. Actually, despite the title, Westrup isthe communications director. Factoid: Brown wants his top Horseshoe staffers to include the title “secretary,” including the point person for reporters, and Brown loathes the title “communications director.” A Democrat, Westrup worked in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s press shop and in New Mexico on President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign.