Alex Padilla is a prominent American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He currently serves as the senior United States Senator from California, a position he assumed in 2021. Prior to his election to the Senate, Padilla served as California's 30th Secretary of State from 2015 to 2021. His political journey includes notable roles such as a member of the California State Senate and the Los Angeles City Council, showcasing a deep commitment to public service in California.
March 22, 1973: Birth of Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla was born on March 22, 1973, in Los Angeles, California to Santos and Lupe Padilla.
1993: Alan Cranston Retires from US Senate
1993 marked the retirement of Alan Cranston, who was the last male US senator from California until Alex Padilla's appointment in 2020.
1994: Graduation from MIT
Alex Padilla graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1994.
1995: Completion of Coro Fellows Program
In 1995, Alex Padilla completed the Coro Fellows Southern California Program.
1995: Entry into Politics
In 1995, Alex Padilla entered politics as a member of the Democratic Party, largely driven by his opposition to California Proposition 187, a measure he believed was fueled by nativism and unfairly targeted immigrants.
1996: Campaign Manager for Tony Cárdenas
Alex Padilla served as the campaign manager for Tony Cárdenas during his successful run for the Assembly in 1996.
1997: Campaign Manager for Gil Cedillo
In 1997, Alex Padilla managed the successful Assembly campaign of Gil Cedillo.
1998: Campaign Manager for Richard Alarcon
Alex Padilla served as the campaign manager for Richard Alarcon's successful State Senate campaign in 1998.
July 1, 1999: Elected to Los Angeles City Council
At the age of 26, Alex Padilla was sworn in as a member of the Los Angeles City Council on July 1, 1999.
September 13, 2001: Acting Mayor of Los Angeles
Following the 9/11 attacks, Alex Padilla briefly served as the acting mayor of Los Angeles for a couple of days while Mayor James K. Hahn was out of the city on September 13, 2001.
2005: Chairmanship of Los Angeles Leadership Council
Alex Padilla assumed the role of Chair of the Los Angeles Leadership Council for the American Diabetes Association in 2005.
2006: Election to the State Senate
Alex Padilla was elected to the California State Senate in 2006, defeating Libertarian candidate Pamela Brown.
2006: Start Date for Voter Data Request
This entry marks the beginning date (2006) from which the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity requested voter data from all states.
2008: Legislation on Calorie Disclosure
Alex Padilla authored legislation, passed in 2008, that mandated certain restaurants to disclose calorie information on their menus.
2008: Alex Padilla Sponsors Bill SB 1770 on Anti-Reproductive Rights Crimes
In 2008, Alex Padilla sponsored bill SB 1770 in California, aiming to improve the investigation and reporting of crimes related to anti-reproductive rights.
2010: Reelection to the State Senate
In 2010, Alex Padilla was reelected to the California State Senate with nearly 70% of the vote, defeating Republican Kathleen Evans.
August 2012: Recognition as a Rising Star
The San Francisco Chronicle included Alex Padilla in a list of 20 up-and-coming Latino political figures in August 2012, recognizing his contributions to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
2012: Alex Padilla Marries Angela Monzon
Alex Padilla married Angela Monzon in 2012.
2012: American Conservative Union Gives Alex Padilla 0% Rating
In 2012, the American Conservative Union gave Alex Padilla a 0% rating, indicating a significant difference in political views.
April 11, 2013: Announcement of Candidacy for Secretary of State
Alex Padilla announced his candidacy for California Secretary of State on April 11, 2013, aiming to succeed the term-limited Debra Bowen.
September 2014: Promotion of Plastic Bag Ban
Alex Padilla began promoting what would eventually become Proposition 67, a proposed ban on plastic bags, in September 2014.
November 4, 2014: Election as Secretary of State
On November 4, 2014, Alex Padilla was elected as California's Secretary of State with 53.6% of the vote, defeating Republican Pete Peterson.
November 30, 2014: End of State Senate Tenure
Alex Padilla's tenure in the California State Senate ended on November 30, 2014, after serving two terms.
2015: Aliso Canyon Gas Leak Affects Padilla Family
In late 2015, the Aliso Canyon gas leak caused disruptions and temporary displacement for many families, including Alex Padilla and his family.
2015: Swearing-In as Secretary of State
Alex Padilla was officially sworn in as California's Secretary of State on January 5, 2015, coinciding with Jerry Brown's fourth term as governor.
November 8, 2016: Passage of Proposition 67 (Plastic Bag Ban)
On November 8, 2016, Proposition 67, a measure to ban plastic bags that Alex Padilla had championed, was passed by voters, with 53% voting in favor.
2016: Aliso Canyon Gas Leak's Impact Continues
The Aliso Canyon gas leak continued to affect residents in early 2016, including Alex Padilla and his family, highlighting the lasting consequences of the event.
June 29, 2017: Refusal to Provide Voter Data
On June 29, 2017, Alex Padilla, as California Secretary of State, refused to comply with a request from President Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity for voter data dating back to 2006.
November 6, 2018: Reelection as Secretary of State
Alex Padilla was reelected as California's Secretary of State on November 6, 2018, with 64.5% of the vote, defeating Republican Mark P. Meuser.
2018: Alex Padilla Receives Support from NARAL Pro-Choice America
Alex Padilla received support from NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2018 after winning the primary for his second term as California's Secretary of State.
2018: Reference to Door-to-Door Ballot Harvesting
This entry refers to the widespread door-to-door ballot harvesting that took place during the 2018 United States elections, a practice that became a point of contention in the controversy surrounding unofficial ballot boxes in 2020.
August 2020: Joe Biden Selects Kamala Harris as Running Mate
In August 2020, then-Senator Kamala Harris of California was chosen by Joe Biden to be his Vice Presidential running mate for the upcoming Presidential election.
October 16, 2020: Controversy over Unofficial Ballot Boxes
On October 16, 2020, Alex Padilla, as California Secretary of State, was involved in a controversy with the California Republican Party over their use of unofficial ballot boxes, arguing that they were illegal and compromised ballot security.
December 2020: Alex Padilla Appointed to US Senate
In December 2020, Alex Padilla was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to fill Kamala Harris's vacant Senate seat after she became Vice President.
2020: Controversy over "Vote Safe California" Campaign
In early 2020, Alex Padilla faced criticism for awarding a $35 million no-bid contract for the "Vote Safe California" voter education campaign to SKDK, a firm with ties to the Democratic Party.
January 15, 2021: Alex Padilla Voices Support for Expedited Citizenship for Essential Undocumented Workers
On January 15, 2021, Alex Padilla expressed support for legislation that would accelerate the process for undocumented essential workers to gain citizenship.
January 18, 2021: Alex Padilla Expresses Support for Progressive Policies
On January 18, 2021, Alex Padilla publicly declared his support for progressive policies such as the Green New Deal and Medicare For All.
January 20, 2021: Appointment and Swearing-In as US Senator
On January 20, 2021, Alex Padilla was appointed to the United States Senate by Governor Gavin Newsom, filling the vacancy left by Kamala Harris's election as Vice President. He was sworn in on the same day by Vice President Harris.
February 2021: Legislation to Reimburse SKDK
In February 2021, Governor Newsom signed legislation to reimburse SKDK, a public relations firm, using state funds after a controversial no-bid contract for a voter education campaign initiated by Alex Padilla faced legal challenges.
October 2021: Alex Padilla Advocates for Climate Action in Budget Discussions
During budget discussions in October 2021, Alex Padilla firmly stated that climate action should be a priority and not be excluded from budget considerations.
2021: Alex Padilla Recognized for Efforts in Expanding Voting Access
When Alex Padilla was appointed to the US Senate in 2021, he was acknowledged for his work in safeguarding and promoting voting rights.
June 2022: Alex Padilla Condemns Overturning of Roe v. Wade
Alex Padilla expressed strong disapproval and condemnation towards the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
November 2022: Election Victory for Full Senate Term
In November 2022, Alex Padilla secured both a special election to finish Kamala Harris's Senate term and a full Senate term, defeating Republican candidate Mark Meuser.
November 2022: Alex Padilla Wins Re-Election to US Senate
In November 2022, Alex Padilla secured his seat in the US Senate by winning re-election.
November 2022: Alex Padilla Wins Special and Regular Senate Elections
In November 2022, Alex Padilla won both the special election to complete Kamala Harris's Senate term and the regular election for a full six-year term.
January 2023: Start of Full Senate Term for Alex Padilla
January 2023 marked the beginning of Alex Padilla's first full six-year term as a US Senator for California.
September 29, 2023: Becoming California's Senior Senator
Following the death of Dianne Feinstein, Alex Padilla became California's senior senator on September 29, 2023.
November 2023: Alex Padilla Introduces Legislation for Puerto Rico's Political Status Referendum
In November 2023, Alex Padilla put forth legislation proposing a federally supervised referendum to determine the future political status of Puerto Rico.
2023: Alex Padilla Maintains 100% Voting Alignment with President Biden
By the conclusion of 2023, Alex Padilla consistently voted in line with President Biden's positions on all matters.