The political rise of Willie Brown, Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris and countless others can be traced to two brothers: Phillip and John Burton .

In the 1960s, the Burtons built what became known in San Francisco as “the Burton Machine,” a coalition of unions, religious leaders and community activists that perfected the art of winning elections.

Burton — a civil rights and environmental advocate who served in the state Assembly and Congress — died Sunday at 92. His death drew tributes from California lawmakers, many of whom credited the longtime San Francisco power broker with shaping their political paths and the state’s progressive agenda.

In a post on X , Gov. Gavin Newsom called Burton “a legendary powerhouse that breathed life into our party and fought for a bette

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