Tuesday, December 22, 2020 | Sacramento, CA California Secretary of State Alex Padilla responds to a question at a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo Updated 5:31 p.m. Gov. Gavin Newsom made two major appointments Tuesday, promoting diverse elected officials and reshaping state politics for years to come. First, after months of speculation and fierce lobbying, he named Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Hours later, Newsom announced Assemblywoman Shirley Weber would, if approved by the Legislature, fill Padilla’s post as Secretary of State and become the first African-American in the job.