Alex Padilla (20)

Alex Padilla is a Democratic U.S. Senator representing California statewide, the first Latino to hold this position, appointed in 2021 to complete Kamala Harris's term and elected to a full term in 2022. Previously, he represented California's 20th State Senate District from 2006 to 2014 and served as California's Secretary of State from 2015 to 2021. Born March 22, 1973, in Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, Padilla is noted for advancing voting rights, environmental protections, public health measures, and immigration policy; notable achievements include authoring California's menu calorie labeling law , plastic bag ban promotion, automatic voter registration, and serving as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .
• Early Political Involvement: Entered politics opposing Proposition 187 in 1994; managed campaigns and served as field representative for Senator Dianne Feinstein.
• Los Angeles City Council : Represented District 7; first Latino President of the League of California Cities .
• California State Senate, District 20 : Passed over 100 bills on public safety, health , and environment; named one of Sacramento's most effective legislators.
• California Secretary of State : Implemented automatic/same-day voter registration, Voter’s Choice Act for expanded voting options, and voting system security upgrades; received most votes of any Latino elected official in 2018.
• U.S. Senate : Focuses on immigration, budget, environment, and public lands protection.