Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Brian Rice

67. Brian Rice

As president of the California Professional Firefighters, Brian Rice represents 35,000 local firefighters across the Golden State, a constituency whose political potency may be unappreciated. Indeed, under Rice’s leadership, the California Professional Firefighters helped Gov. Newsom’s Prop. 1 ballot measure addressing homelessness and mental health cross the finish line, a surprisingly tight race that might not have gone the governor’s way if not for the firefighters’ assistance. A veteran of political battles, the outspoken Rice headed the Sacramento local 522 for 12 years. He may be most well-known – at least at the national level – for pushing back when President Trump claimed that California’s wildfires were the results of flawed forestry management.

Updated Aug. 7, 2024