The appointment of California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to sit on the Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was praised and criticized for its broader implications for racial representation in politics.
Although Padilla is the state’s first Latin senator – a milestone for California, where nearly 40% of the state’s residents are Latino – her appointment also means that there will be no more black women in the Senate.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed called the replacement a “real blow” to the African American community and an “unfortunate situation” especially in light of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that swept the country this summer.
“The sad reality is [Harris] she was the only African American woman in the Senate at the moment, “said Breed during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
“And when you think about the history of this country and the challenges that exist for African Americans, especially African American women in the Senate, this is definitely a real blow to the African American community, for African American women, for women in general, “said the mayor.
“It’s really challenging to put it into words, but it was definitely a surprise,” she continued. “And it is a pitiful situation, as we are trying to move this country forward and ensure that black lives really matter and that African Americans have a seat at the table, especially African American women, after what was done in this race in national level. It’s definitely unfortunate. “
Justin Sullivan / Getty
Breed, the first black woman to be elected mayor of San Francisco, was a potential choice for Harris’ seat. US Representative Karen Bass, the first black woman to serve as a spokesperson for a state legislature, and US Representative Barbara Lee were also seen as possible choices.
Breed said there was “a lot of pride” when Harris won the Democratic nomination for vice president and later became the elected vice president. She was the first black woman to run on the presidential ticket for an important party and is the first black woman to be elected to office.
But Breed said he saw his seat in the Senate as another opportunity “to guarantee, as [Harris] he continued to say, ‘even if you can be the first, make sure you are not the last.’ “
Earlier this month, MP Ayanna Pressley was among a series of black leaders urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to replace Harris with another black woman.
“We cannot go back. With the election of @KamalaHarris as vice-president, @CAgovernor must prioritize that leadership, perspective and representation in the vacant US Senate seat and nominate a black woman,” tweeted Pressley.
Although Newsom rejected those calls, his office announced on Tuesday that he would appoint Congresswoman Shirley Weber, who is black, to replace Padilla and become the next secretary of state. If Weber is confirmed, she will be the first black woman to hold the position.
But the announcement, which came about six hours after Padilla’s appointment, appeared to come in response to Newsom’s reaction to not choosing another black woman to take Harris’s place.
Newsweek contacted the Newsom office for comment, but received no response before publication.