California Farm Bureau congratulates Secretary of State Alex Padilla on his recent appointment to serve as a U.S. senator from California in the 117th Congress. Gov. Gavin Newsom selected Padilla to fill the remaining two years of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ term. He will be California’s first Latino senator.
“California’s world-leading agricultural industry was created by immigrants from across the world looking to work hard, sacrifice and, in turn, create opportunities for their children that they otherwise would not have had,” California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson said. “We appreciate that Secretary of State Padilla is, himself, the child of a hard-working immigrant family that came to this country to make a better life for their children. His career has been a testament to their sacrifice, and it is only fitting that he be the first Latino senator from California. His deep roots in public service within California suit him well for this role, and we know he will bring experience and knowledge of the state to Washington, D.C.”
Johansson added, “The issues of California and the West are very different than the rest of the country, and our unique needs will need to be articulated and addressed. Water supply, immigration reform and pandemic recovery are all at the forefront of national issues, and we look forward to engaging with Secretary of State Padilla so that he can carry forward the powerful story of California agriculture.”
The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 32,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of nearly 5.6 million Farm Bureau members.