Sen. Alex Padilla: I'll ensure Black women are represented in the senate

By Teddy Grant Published: March 22, 2021

Sen. Alex Padilla: I’ll ensure Black women are represented in the senate

FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2019, file photo, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla talks during a news conference at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, as the state's next U.S. senator to fill the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

California Senator Alex Padilla said on Monday that he would advocate for Black women while in the senate in response to him filling the senate seat of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Padilla sat down with DC Today host Del Walters and addressed chatter that Governor Gavin Newsom should have filled Harris’s seat with a Black woman.

“I will be an advocate for further diversifying the United States Senate and ensuring that the voices of Black women are heard and represented here,” Padilla said. “I am proud to be the first Latino to represent the state of California. A state that has the population of 40 percent Latino.”

There are currently no Black women serving in the senate.

Padilla, who’s been in public service for over 20 years, said that he proudly accepted the position when Newsom nominated him to replace Harris.

Padilla added that he has no inside knowledge about Newsom’s recent comments that he would appoint a Black woman as a senator if Sen. Dianne Feinstein were to retire.