As Kamala Harris formally resigned her Senate seat on Monday, Alex Padilla was formally appointed to exchange her, making historical past as California’s first Latino senator.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) additionally nominated state Assemblymember Shirley Weber to exchange Padilla as secretary of state. She would be the first Black individual to carry the position in California.
“It is fitting that on the same day we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — a civil rights icon who fought for justice and representation — we also move forward the appointment of California’s first Latino U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and the nomination of Dr. Shirley Weber who will serve as the first-ever African American Secretary of State,” Newsom stated in a press release. “Both will be strong defenders of our democracy during this fragile moment in our nation’s history.”
Padilla stated he was “honored and humbled” to signify the individuals of California, a state whose inhabitants is practically 40% Latino ― residents who will lastly see themselves represented on the Senate degree.
I’m honored and humbled by the belief positioned in me. I intend to work every day to honor that belief and ship for all 40 million Californians. https://t.co/3de2QY318c
— Alex Padilla (@AlexPadilla4CA) January 18, 2021
