Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2021 | |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Deb Fischer |
| United States Senator from California | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2021 | |
| Appointed by | Gavin Newsom |
| Preceded by | Kamala Harris |
| 30th Secretary of State of California | |
| In office January 5, 2015 – January 20, 2021 | |
| Governor | Jerry Brown Gavin Newsom |
| Preceded by | Debra Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Shirley Weber |
| Member of the California State Senate from the 20th district | |
| In office December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Alarcon |
| Succeeded by | Connie Leyva |
| President of the Los Angeles City Council | |
| In office July 4, 2001 – January 1, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | John Ferraro |
| Succeeded by | Eric Garcetti |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 7th district | |
| In office July 1, 1999 – December 4, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Alarcon |
| Succeeded by | Richard Alarcon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alejandro Padilla March 22, 1973 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Angela Monzon (m. 2012) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS) |
| Signature | |
| Website | Senate website |
Alejandro Padilla (born March 22, 1973) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from California, a seat he has held since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Padilla served as the 30th secretary of state of California from 2015 to 2021 and was a member of the California State Senate and the Los Angeles City Council.
Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla to the United States Senate after then-Senator Kamala Harris was elected vice president of the United States; Harris, as the newly elected vice president and president of the Senate, swore Padilla in on January 20, 2021. In dual November 2022 elections, Padilla won a special election to complete Harris's term as well as election to a full Senate term, defeating Republican nominee Mark Meuser in both.
Padilla became California's senior senator on September 29, 2023, upon the death of Dianne Feinstein.