California first: A Latino U.S. senator to replace Harris California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla as the state’s next U.S. senatorSACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom selected Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday to be a U.S. senator, a pick that sends a Latino to the Senate for the first time in the state’s history. Weber, of San Diego, heads the California Legislative Black Caucus and would be the first Black person to hold the office. He represented a Los Angeles-area district in the California state Senate from 2006 to 2014 and chaired the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communication.

Source: ABC News December 22, 2020 18:23 UTC