Alex Padilla will replace Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate. He ain’t Karen Bass, and he ain’t Barbara Lee, but he did win a statewide race and he’s apparently quite popular, though why that matters in a state that doesn’t have a single Republican in statewide office is beyond me. I have a hard enough time keeping up with New York politics, so Californicators can chime in on this one.
Also, Biden is speaking in Delaware. (YouTube Link).
Four Directions: I Should Have Asked DougJ for Song Lyrics
piratedan
reminder that just because Dems outnumbers Reps in California, it still doesn’t mean that there aren’t a whole lotta Reps in California… It’s a big bleeping state and if you get another Arnold in place, who knows… just saying.
Yutsano
Let the much wailing and gnashing of teef begin!
JPL
Twitter is saying that it is about time that a Latino holds that seat.
craigie
Yeah, if you split California down the middle vertically, the eastern half wouldn’t have any living Democrats.
VeniceRiley
I know may will be disappointed that it wasn’t an AfAm woman. I understand all they have done for the party nationally. But Latinos are 40% of California, and SoCal is definitely underrepresented as well. Congrats to our first Latino SENATOR! This will go a long way to help increase engagement in that community, I guarantee you.
Brachiator
Reposted from below:
The media is making much of the idea of Padilla as the first Latino senator from California.
True. But this is also a nod to the mainstream California Democratic Party power structure. Padilla has moved up the ranks from the LA City Council to the state Senate to Secretary of State. He is an okay choice, and also lets Newsom move someone else up to Secretary of State.
Padilla is also relatively young, 47. Younger than Newsom, who is 53.
He is solid and smart. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley, went to a public high school and then on to MIT, and soon decided to get into politics.
Yeah, good choice. Also (inside politics) interesting that Newsom picked someone from Southern California, not the North. But there are a lot of good picks for various offices down here.
ETA: My sentimental favorite was John Chiang
laura
There’s a deep bench of qualified candidates that Newsom had to choose from. Alex Padilla is a solid choice – and he is 47 and is the son of immigrants. I’d have preferred Karen Bass, but I appreciate the selection of Alex Padilla. Let’s see who comes a calling to challenge him when it’s time for elections. (I reluctantly voted for Diane Feinstein because not a huge fan of Kevin DeLeon.) And like Brachiator above – John Chaing would’ve been excellent. Maybe he’ll look at Feonstein’s seat at a future date.
Spider-Dan
Good pick. While I liked the idea of replacing Harris with another progressive Black woman like Lee or Bass, I would broadly prefer someone who has already received the (hypothetically?) more stringent vetting one gets for running a statewide race. But that’s a minor difference.
Sad to see Padilla go as CA SoS. If Feinstein ends up resigning, I expect that a woman will be picked to fill that seat.
For the first time in my adult life, I’m represented by a male US Senator. Hmmm.
Elizabelle
I love Joe Biden. For the record.
rikyrah
If he knows how to win Statewide in California, I’m fine with it.
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
Me too. Did something in particular happen?
rikyrah
@Elizabelle:
He’s alive and vaccinated.
I will exhale after he gets that second shot.
Elizabelle
@zhena gogolia: Press conference right now.
ETA: He responded to one reporter: “I’m not a fortune teller.”
https://www.c-span.org/video/?507485-1/president-elect-biden-marks-loss-320000-coronavirus-pledges-economic-relief&live=
Elizabelle
@rikyrah: I think I will exhale about 2022. But yes.
BC in Illinois
@piratedan:
From xkcd (the part that comes out when you put your mouse over the image):
Kent
Not being from CA I have no opinion of him. When would he be up for re-election to a full term? 2024?
As long as he doesn’t hug Lindsey Graham and doesn’t obstruct Senate reform like the filibuster then I’m sure he’ll be fine. How far the Senate goes if the Dems regain control isn’t going to depend on the ideological preferences of a freshman CA Senator. It will be determined by the likes of red state senators like Joe Mansion and Jon Tester. And purple state senators like Bob Casey.
I’m happy with a mainstream Dem workhorse senator. We don’t need more show horses.
Elizabelle
On exiting, he just told some male reporter shouting questions about Hunter Biden: (killer smile and then): “You’re a one-trick pony.”
MazeDancer
There were no Hispanic women available?
laura
@rikyrah: He’s a work horse, not a show horse and he respects the CA Democratic Party. I’m proud to be represented by this man and imagine how very proud his family and former constituents must feel.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Kent:
Speaking of red state Dems like Joe Manchin and Sherrod Brown, I don’t know what’s going to happen to their seats after they either die or retire. Will they simply be lost forever, making Dem control of the Senate even more difficult? That’s where I lean tbh
rikyrah
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
We need DC and Puerto Rico
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
Not lyin’ dogfaced pony soldier?
Kent
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I expect in the future the Senate prospects will be better in more purple states like GA, NC, PA, WI, and AZ. And maybe in FL.
Winning in PA, WI, NC or FL is likely an easier get than an open seat in WV.
Cacti
On the bright side, I don’t think he’s likely to be hugging it up with Lindsey Graham any time soon.
Curtis
@Elizabelle: That’s great. Mockery is a good way to deal with that kind of nonsense.
Betty Cracker
@Elizabelle: I wonder if it was Ken Vogel of the NYT? He’s the Hunter hunter…
JaneE
@craigie: Actually there are three of us. Not many, that’s for sure. But even some California Republicans could not go for Trump a second time, at least judging by our county results. I was pleasantly surprised by that, but the county still went for a GOP representative.
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
He actually said, “You’re a one-horse pony,” which I like even better.
Thanks for alerting me — Aaron Rupar has a lot of the good quotes. Biden is great.
kindness
California is a Democratic majority but not supermajority state. We still have a huge number of Republicans here. And unlike the days of old, there are no moderate Republicans any longer. Republicans today are foaming at the mouth types. So centrists still win a lot by pulling in middle that is left.
WaterGirl
@Brachiator:
Not being from California, I have no idea what that means or why it’s important. Can you explain?
Elizabelle
@zhena gogolia: One horse pony. Thank you. Although, I don’t know what that one means.
I came in on a COVID relief payment question, so will have to go back to the beginning and catch the whole thing. It was balm for the soul.
Do you have an easy link for the Aaron Rupar item? I can look for it, too …
rikyrah
Does the Secretary of State in California protect the vote?
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker: Don’t know. Camera was on Biden.
Maybe some of the other journalists will tell us who asked/said what.
It is just so refreshing to see someone up there with human characteristics, charm, and expertise. Not braggadocio.
Almost Retired
He’s a solid choice among a whole bunch of solid choices, although Karen Bass was my favorite. But I’m glad to have a Southern Californian in this position, given the dominance of the Bay Area in California politics. Seems like a vestige of the Gold Rush days. As to the cabinet and California, as a labor lawyer, I’ve worked with Julie Su, who was California’s labor commissioner and is now in Newsom’s cabinet as the Secretary the Labor and Workforce Development agency. She’s a top contender for Secretary of Labor. I hope her star isn’t tarnished by the EDD (unemployment insurance) fiasco.
Ruckus
@MazeDancer:
Undoudtedly yes, he’s still a great pick. And also remember that CA has had women senators for a long time. For once you might be able to say, without too much irony, it’s about time.
Elizabelle
The Aaron Rupar (Vox) thread.
It was a Doocy of Fox News (think it’s the son) with the shouted question:
Elizabelle
I had wanted to share this one with you too at the time, but was not sure if Biden was referring to Trump (most likely) or Putin since I did not hear the entire question: From Aaron Rupar:
Brachiator
@WaterGirl:
But this is also a nod to the mainstream California Democratic Party power structure.
We have term limits in California. I guess this was supposed to help get new blood into politics, but in practical terms it means that politicians play an elaborate game of musical chairs. If they get termed out of office, they often have an eye on another political office that will keep them in the game.
Padilla is a great choice. But he is also someone who was waiting to be advanced.
namekarB
@piratedan: As example, More Californians voted for Trump than in Texas
laura
@Almost Retired: I’m still hoping that Richard Griffen gets the nod for Secretary of Labor.
namekarB
Agree totally
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
It’s a conflation of “one-trick pony” with “one-horse town.” A malapropism, in other words.
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
https://twitter.com/atrupar
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
Trump’s.
Elizabelle
@zhena gogolia: Yeah, as soon as I saw your correction, I worried “malapropism.”
Although: it sure got the point across.
Elizabelle
@zhena gogolia: I will start watching Aaron Rupar more. I am not on twitter; rely on what you guys come up with here, but he sounds solid.
namekarB
@MazeDancer: No Hispanic women in “statewide” office. I believe part of the motivation for this pick was to have solid credentials as well as track record of running successfully statewide. Much deeper vetting in a statewide office.
Elizabelle
TaMara has put up a new thread about “Joe Biden’s holiday remarks.”
Mary G
Another huge John Chiang fan here. Maybe Biden will hire him for something. Padilla is not exciting, but we’ve had enough exciting from the current president. He is a solid Democrat and won’t have any trouble getting reelected.
Almost Retired
@laura: Richard Griffin from the NLRB is a solid choice as well, but the cabinet position seems to be moving away from traditional labor and more into the general employment law world (like my legal specialty in general).
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle:
He is good at putting up clips of the key moments of speeches, press conferences, etc. My only beef with him is it tends to be stuff from the Trump side. Kyle Griffin is better at reporting on Biden &Co, but he doesn’t put up video, just verbal summaries.
Roger Moore
@craigie:
This is actually not true. For one thing, a more of the counties on the eastern border of the state went for Biden than for Trump, and the Biden counties include big ones like Riverside and San Bernardino. More importantly, California bends in the middle, so that Los Angeles is actually east of Reno. If you split the state into east and west rather than coastal and inland, the eastern half would have more people because it would have almost all of the LA area, which is dominated by Democrats.
Sister Golden Bear
@rikyrah: Yes, the CA SOS not only protects the vote but also encourages it (funny how that happens in blue states).
CA encouraged mail-in voting this year by sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters (some counties like mine have been all mail-in for several years).
There was a pretty extensive informational blitz about how and where to vote (if voting in person) — although some of that was done by county elections officers.
One reason CA is one of the last states to announce official results is elections officials are meticulous about going through the votes, as well as giving voters ample opportunity to “cure” unopened ballots, e.g. signature issues etc,
lowtechcyclist
@Elizabelle:
I love it – just a perfect response. Keeps his cool while nailing the guy, shutting him down.
Martin
Ok. I’m fine with this. Would have preferred Bass because I like Bass and want to see her move up, but Padilla is good. CA latinos deserve representation.
Martin
@Kent: He’s been very good at aggressively kicking the door open on voter access. We’re in a good moment for him to be in the Senate – he’s not going to tolerate any of this voter fraud bullshit.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Martin: Tend to agree.
mary s
@rikyrah: Yes. He has done a fair amount to implement measures that make it easier to register (DMV semi-automatic registration) and vote. He also led a big effort to get an accurate Census count in CA, which is very important (of course). He seems like an excellent public servant.
Chief Oshkosh
@Kent:
Really? I’d be very happy with more and EFFECTIVE Democratic show horses in the Senate and House. I think AOC and Katie are good, but there needs to be several more darlings of the press on our side. Otherwise, the few just get singled out by the mouth breathers.
trollhattan
Padilla comes with a certain amount of baggage because of course he does, he’s a politician after all, but seemed to have done a fine job as SoS and is a compelling story of having accomplished much from humble roots. (If only Republicans hadn’t registered Bootstraps®) SoS is high-profile around election time, the rest of the cycle it’s a pretty dull administrative seat.
Newsom is currently hated by about everybody because reasons but has had more political power dropped into his hands with all these administration appointments and the Harris VP election than any governor since I’ve been in California. Certain people are being really nice to him right now.
mary s
@rikyrah: Yes. He has done a fair amount to implement measures that make it easier to register (DMV semi-automatic registration) and vote. He also led a big effort to get an accurate Census count in CA, which is very important (of course). He seems like an excellent public servant.
@namekarB: I like Chiang, too — I voted for him in the gubernatorial primary, though I knew he wouldn’t come anywhere close to winning. I think he would maybe be good in a cabinet position.
Roger Moore
@Sister Golden Bear:
The most recent example of the CA SOS protecting the vote was Padilla going after Republicans putting out unofficial ballot drop boxes. That was illegal for good reasons, and some of them were additionally marked as being official drop boxes, which is very illegal. I don’t think it came to much, but it’s the kind of thing the SOS is supposed to do, and Padilla’s aggressiveness in doing so was good to see.
feebog
I watched the clip of Newsom’s call to Padilla. Genuine emotion and gratitude on Padilla’s part. I was never a Newsom fan, but he has done a solid job as Governor (aside from the French Laundry imbroglio). Padilla was a logical choice since Biden already tapped Beccera for HHS. Yeah, there are a lot of disappointed people who wanted Bass or Lee, but Padilla was the best POLITICAL choice, and Newson knew it.
M31
@Roger Moore:
*mind blown*
like when I learned that Rome is actually (a bit) farther north than New York City
?BillinGlendaleCA
@M31:
I’m concerned when that happens to a galaxy, though the photographic opportunities are intriguing.
Brachiator
@feebog:
I don’t understand. I get all my shirts down at a french laundry.
Seriously, you have nailed it on all counts. And the French Laundry thing (duplicated also by the SF mayor) was just plain stupid.
Bass and Lee get a lot of notice from people outside the state, but in addition to Padilla, Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia is also a strong candidate for advancement.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Brachiator: I think the big difference is Padilla had won statewide.
BerkeleyMom
The pick needed to be from Southern CA as we’ve had both senators from Northern CA for 26 years. Great to have a first Hispanic Senator, we can’t take any more sitting Congressional Representatives due to the numbers, Padilla has won a state-wide race previously, and it’s nice to give a man a shot for a change. Now if Feinstein would only retire . . .
Brachiator
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
This is not a huge deal for me.
columbusqueen
I’m not getting all the love for Karen Bass. Given her pro-Scientology(?) remarks, she strikes me as a disaster in the making if she advances.
FelonyGovt
Very late to a dead thread, but I’m very happy with Padilla. Not flashy, but very solid.
Brian
@M31: and Paris is north of St John’s, Newfoundland