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Newsom taps California election chief Padilla for US Senate

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Rich Pedroncelli/AP
FILE - California Secretary of State Alex Padilla talks during a news conference Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's is considering whom to appoint to serve out the rest of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' Senate term through 2022. Under consideration for the job include Rep. Karen Bass, Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
Alex Padilla
Posted at 10:13 AM, Dec 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-22 13:13:16-05

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KERO) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla as the state’s next U.S. senator.

He will fill the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Padilla is the child of Mexican immigrants and will be California’s first Latino senator.

His appointment gives a new level of representation to the demographic group that makes up nearly 40% of the state's population.

Padilla has been California’s top elections official since 2015. In that position, he’s overseen California’s vast elections apparatus, including the rollout of a more robust vote-by-mail system.

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