Capitol Weekly spent weeks talking to top California political professionals to get a consensus on the top influence peddlers, power brokers and political players in California. The list is varied – there are Democrats and Republicans; labor leaders and captains of industry; people who are little known outside of Sacramento circles, and international superstars.

One thing you will not find on this list is elected officials. We debated whether to include politicians on our list, but ultimately decided that would be too easy. We were looking for people whose political skill and influence transcends the position they hold.

81. Garry South, political consultant
South earned a reputation as a master strategist after the election of Gray Davis. He has become a national voice on California politics, and is now a senior adviser to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. In a world of button-down suits who take themselves too seriously, South is an eccentric, larger-than-life figure and is not afraid to go for the political jugular.