Feinstein backs Padilla for Harris seat
Sen. Dianne Feinstein publicly threw her weight behind California Secretary of State Alex Padilla filling Sen. Kamala Harris' soon-to-be-vacant seat, signaling that Padilla remains a favorite of the Democratic establishment.
The jostling over the seat has intensified in recent weeks, as President-elect Joe Biden's victory has ensured Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint a replacement for Harris when she steps aside to take on vice presidential duties.
Padilla has long been perceived as the frontrunner, and Feinstein's imprimatur — first reported by HuffPost on Wednesday — lends additional momentum to his bid. The two elected officials have a longstanding relationship that stretches back to a young Padilla working for Feinstein in the Senate.
"I have given him my support. I did that quite a while ago. He worked for me at one point, so I know him," Feinstein said in an interview. "And my sense is that he’s going to represent California very well. He’s someone I would be very happy to work with, and also bring Hispanic representation to the Senate for the first time.”
Padilla sits at the top of Newsom's short list for multiple reasons. The Democrat is a longtime Newsom ally; he would make history by becoming California's first Latino senator, a fitting milestone for a state where Latino residents are a plurality at 40 percent of the population; and he has raised his profile both in California and nationally through his work to expand voter registration and mail balloting as California's top elections official.
Feinstein said that Newsom was "aware of" her support for Padilla for the state's junior senator seat.
The Los Angeles Democrat has also benefited from a push from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' campaign arm, BOLD PAC, which underscored the imperative for Newsom to choose a Latino candidate in endorsing Padilla.
But Newsom is also facing pressure from various California elected officials, donors and advocacy groups to appoint a Black woman to replace Harris, who is Black and South Asian.
While Feinstein's endorsement lends Padilla more institutional credibility, it is unlikely to sway progressive groups who have soured on the centrist Feinstein and are pushing Newsom to elevate a representative of the party's left wing, like Rep. Barbara Lee or Rep. Ro Khanna.
California Democratic Party activist RL Miller tweeted, "what a friggin' surprise: an out of touch centrist backs her own protege," in response to Feinstein's public endorsement.