Governor Gavin Newsom appointed native Angeleno Alex Padilla to the vacant California Senate seat left behind by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris yesterday, marking the first time a Latino U.S. Senator has emerged from the state of California. Padilla, a San Fernando Valley native, has often discussed his immigrant parents over the years, including in a press release sent wide yesterday, but here’s where things get interesting: Padilla’s father, Santos, was apparently a longtime, beloved short-order cook at several Du-Par’s locations around greater Los Angeles.
Padilla even mentions his father’s work in a video circulating social media yesterday, where Gov. Newsom surprises the younger Padilla with the Senate seat announcement. In the emotional video, which can be seen here, Padilla says through tears: “I can’t tell you how many pancakes my dad flipped, or eggs he scrambled trying to provide for us.” Eater wishes Alex Padilla well on his new appointment.