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California Today: Meet Alex Padilla, California’s Next Senator (nytimes.com)

 

It’s official: California — a state where nearly 40 percent of the population identifies as Latino — will have its first Latino senator.

Alex Padilla, California’s secretary of state, has been appointed to replace Senator Kamala Harris when she becomes vice president.

And Shirley Weber, a State Assembly member, was tapped to replace Mr. Padilla as secretary of state. She’ll be the first Black woman in the role.

For those of you who have been following along, Mr. Padilla’s appointment may not be much of a surprise. A longtime ally of the governor, he quickly emerged as a top contender, along with Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and Representatives Karen Bass and Barbara Lee.

Ultimately, Mr. Padilla’s ascension drew congratulations from Democratic leaders across the state, including his competitors. And political observers say that both Mr. Padilla and Ms. Weber have important — but difficult — work ahead of them as leaders in a Democratic Party that still doesn’t fully reflect its constituency.

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Just hours after the governor announced his long-anticipated pick to replace Ms. Harris, he announced he’d also asked Dr. Weber to take over for Mr. Padilla as the state’s top elections officer.

Mr. Newsom, in a statement, described her as “a tireless advocate and change agent with unimpeachable integrity,” who has worked to expand voting rights.

“Becoming the first African American Woman in this position will be monumental, and I am up for the challenge,” Dr. Weber said in a statement on Twitter. “Being at the center of voting rights and laws that govern this state is a motivating factor in the work I will continue to do.”

To read more of Jill Cowan and Shawn Hubler's article,  please click here.

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