Washington – Newsom announced Tuesday that California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the Senate. Padilla will be the first Latino Senator to represent California, the most populous state, which also has the largest Latino population in the country.
“His appointment will make history. But @ AlexPadilla4CA that I know is more interested in changing history – especially for the men and women workers in our state and our country. I can’t think of anyone better than representing California as the next US Senator” Newsom. Wrote On Twitter, he tagged Padilla. A video of Padilla agreeing to take over the post was attached to the tweet.
“I’m going to make you proud and California will be proud of having accomplished it in the US Senate. We have a lot of work to do, and I’m ready,” Padilla said in a video chat with Newsom.
In a statement announcing his choice, Newsom indicated that Padilla is the son of immigrant parents who work as a cook and house cleaner.
Alex Padilla worked his way from humble beginnings into the halls of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Los Angeles City Council, and State Senate, becoming a national advocate for voting rights as Secretary of State for California. this position “. “Through his perseverance, integrity, intelligence and determination, California is gaining a tried-and-true fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in the capital, raise our state’s values ​​and make sure we secure the vital resources for a stronger exit from this pandemic. He will be a senator for all California residents.”
Padilla has served as foreign minister since 2015, and was the first Latino to hold the position. Padilla is an old friend of Newsome.
“From those struggling to make ends meet to small businesses struggling to keep their doors open for healthcare workers looking for relief, please know that I’m going to the Senate to fight for you. We’ll get through this pandemic together and rebuild,” Padilla said in a statement. Our economy is such that we do not leave working families behind. “
There are more than 15.5 million Latins in California, or 39.4% of the state’s population, according to it US Census Bureau data. Launched the Latin Victory Fund a Choose a Pad Campaign Over the summer, Newsom urged him to choose the Secretary of State as Harris’s replacement.
Some activists and lawmakers called for Newsom to choose a black woman to replace Harris, who was the second black woman to be elected to the Senate. San Francisco Mayor London Breed, the first black woman to be elected mayor of that city, said the decision was “unfortunate,” according to The News agency.
“This is a real blow to the African American community, to African American women, and to women in general, and I think it’s really hard to put into words,” she said.
Harris congratulated Padilla in a tweet Tuesday.
Congratulations to my dear friend, AlexPadilla4CA! Alex and I have long served the people of California together, and I know he will continue to fight for our state as the first Latino Senator in California, “said Harris.
Padilla will serve Harris’s term, which ends in 2022, and can then run again for a full six years.
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