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UPDATED Dec. 22, 1:30 p.m. Governor Gavin Newsom selected California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ Senate seat on December 22, 2020, after the following story aired. It’s a historic choice as Padilla will be the first Latino senator to represent California.
Now that Senator Kamala Harris is about to become vice president, California has an open Senate seat. Guessing who Governor Gavin Newsom will pick as her replacement has become a popular game for political watchers throughout the state.
Senate seats don’t come up often in the state. Vice President-elect Harris was voted into the Senate when Barbara Boxer chose not to run in 2016. Boxer held the seat for 24 years. California’s other senator, Dianne Feinstein, has held her seat for 28 years.