Interest Groups Already Flooding California Gov. Newsom with Lists of Nominees To Replace Sen. Harris
California may soon be exercising its 17th Amendment right to fill a vacant seat on the federal legislature without need of an election.
According to Fox News, Democratic state Gov. Gavin Newsom has already received a slew of suggestions regarding who to appoint to an open U.S. Senate seat should 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris resign hers in order to take up residence in the White House this coming January.
Harris was declared vice president-elect Saturday morning by a number of establishment media news outlets quick to call the presidential race in favor of the Biden campaign, despite forthcoming legal challenges and the thousands of outstanding ballots still to be counted in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
A longtime friend to the senator, Newsom seems not to be taking the potential responsibility for granted, having already fielded special interest pitches for seat candidacy as early as August, according to The Hill.
Newsom says he has already received a number of pitches for Harris’s open Senate seat https://t.co/64UPXQhXeQ pic.twitter.com/n9qfjNwklG
— The Hill (@thehill) August 12, 2020
The vacancy would need only to be filled through January 2023, when Harris’ original six-year term will once again be up to the winner of the previous year’s midterm elections.
Newsom, too, will see himself up for re-election in 2022, however. And with approval ratings already high in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, a solid Senate appointment could carry the first-term governor across the electoral finish line.
The only black woman currently serving in the U.S. Senate, Harris has won no shortage of support from the state’s diverse, and increasingly progressive, electorate.
Intersectionality has, as a result, been raised by political figures and pundits alike as a major point of emphasis with regard to the potential appointment.
California Sen. Kamala Harris will become the next vice president of the United States, bringing a legion of firsts: the first woman, the first Black person, the first Indian American and the first Asian American to hold the office. https://t.co/GikRxjytD7 pic.twitter.com/u2aVSDaOw4
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) November 7, 2020
KNXV-TV reports indicate Newsom and his staff have already had a look at prominent LGBT and Latino candidates in light of public requests from Equality California and state legislators.
Home to one of the largest populations of Latino or gay individuals in the nation, California has never been represented by a gay or Latino senator — a reality pointed out Friday by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez.
“California is solidly blue. Democratic. This is largely due to the growing Latino population and our political engagement post Pete Wilson,” the assemblywoman wrote on Twitter, forwarding several candidates for consideration.
“We are the largest demographic in this state, and growing. It’s time we have a Latino/a US Senator.”
We have plenty of qualified, progressive choices, here are just a few: @AlexPadilla4CA @XavierBecerra @HildaSolis @MariaEDurazo @kdeleon @RobertGarcia @ICRicardoLara @RendonAnthony
— Lorena Gonzalez (@LorenaSGonzalez) November 6, 2020
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra were both at the forefront of Gonzalez’s list.
San Diego area State Sen. Toni Atkins, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, California State Controller Betty Yee, California Treasurer Fiona Ma and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have headed up the pack of prospective candidates in the eyes of the establishment media.
A number of sitting Democratic representatives have also been talked about, including Eric Swalwell, Adam Schiff, Ted Lieu, Ro Khanna, Katie Porter and Karen Bass, who heads up the Congressional Black Caucus.
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