Secretary of State Alex Padilla will succeed Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate (photo via FB)The Los Angeles Times reports that California Gov. Gavin Newsom will choose his state’s current secretary of state Alex Padilla to fill the remaining two years of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s U.S. Senate term. Harris will be resigning from the Senate next month prior to being sworn in as the country’s first female Vice President. Harris’s departure will mean there will be no Black women serving in the chamber. Padilla will be the first Latino from California to serve in the Senate. From the LA Times:
At age 26, Padilla won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council during the anti-immigrant tumult of the 1990s after California voters approved measures requiring “English-only” public schools and banning immigrants who were in the U.S. illegally from government assistance and services.
Padilla, who earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, went on to become the city’s youngest council president, a state senator and California’s current, two-term secretary of state.
Newsom will now turn to choosing who will replace Padilla as secretary of state.
Breaking: Gov. Gavin Newsom has named Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate.
Padilla will become the first Latino to represent California in the Senate, succeeding another history-making politician, Kamala Harris. https://t.co/Cj36zAyyZj — Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 22, 2020
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (screen capture) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday finally acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris on their White House win, one day after the electoral college affirmed the result in state capitals across the country. “As of this morning our country has officially a president-elect and a vice president-elect,” McConnell said Tuesday speaking on the Senate floor. “Many of us hoped that the presidential election would yield a different result, but our system of government has processes to determine who will be sworn in January 20.” “The electoral college has spoken. So today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden.” “I also want to congratulate the vice president-elect, our colleague from California, Senator Harris,” added McConnell. “Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time.” While Republicans are slowly nodding ‘Yes, there will be a new president in January,’ Donald Trump continues to deny the outcome. Early Tuesday, he tweeted, “This Fake Election can no longer stand.”
BREAKING: Senate Majority Leader McConnell: "The Electoral College has spoken … Today, I want to congratulate President-elect Biden." pic.twitter.com/lsAdel7rgd
Thank you Kevin. Many Trump votes were routed to Biden. The highly respected Michigan Judge released this epic report. True all over the Country. This Fake Election can no longer stand. Get moving Republicans. Big Swing State Win! 75,000,000 VOTES. https://t.co/0sodJFr80k
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (via Instagram) It was California’s 55 electors that put President-elect Joe Biden over the 270 threshold today to make his win in the 2020 presidential election official.
NEW: With California’s 55 electors, Joe Biden has now surpassed the 270 votes needed to become the next president of the United States.
With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris projected to be the next President and Vice President of the U.S., many are looking to who might be tapped by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to take Sen. Harris’s seat in the U.S.Senate.
Politico reports that those inside Newsom’s inner circle say he would like to make a historic choice, and there are multiple contenders being mentioned who could become the first openly LGBTQ senator from the Golden State.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party, is reportedly on the shortlist of those being considered for the Senate seat. Garcia would be the first openly gay and first Latino senator from California.
In a recent poll by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, Garcia received the highest response (57%) when voters were asked about individual possible candidates.
According to that survey, almost half of voters (48%) would prefer someone without experience in Washington, D.C., or in Sacramento. Thirty-one percent said they would like to see Newsom pick the state’s first Latino U.S. senator and 24% hoped for the state’s first LGBTQ U.S. Senator.
The first woman and openly LGBTQ person to lead the state Senate, State Senate pro Tempore Toni Atkins of San Diego, is also among those being floated to be the next senator from California. In the aforementioned survey, Atkins received 40% support.
The Victory Fund, which supports more representation of queer Americans in public office, adds to those possibilities California Assemblymember Evan Low, U.S. Representative Mark Takano, and California Senator Scott Wiener.
Newsom could still make history with a non-LGBTQ choice like Secretary of State Alex Padilla or state Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Either would be the first Latino senator in California history, plus choosing a statewide officer for the seat would allow the governor to name both the next senator and a powerful state officeholder’s replacement as well.
Many in political circles say the replacement should, like Harris, be a woman of color making Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) of Los Angeles a strong contender. Bass was long reported as a possible choice for running mate for Biden and garnered 53% support in the Schwarzenegger Institute poll.
Also in the mix are Rep. Barbara Lee from Oakland who had 51% approval in the Institute’s survey,and freshman Rep. Katie Porter, who has shown to have strong support among younger voters. One small snag for Porter could be that she’s the first Democrat to represent California’s 45th District. A traditionally red district, if she were to take Harris’s seat, her House seat could possibly flip back to Republican.
Newsom has told the press he won’t begin the formal process of vetting candidates until after the election results were certified.
President-elect Joe Biden LGBTQ organizations across the U.S. are celebrating the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. From Alphonso David, President of the Human Rights Campaign:
After four long years, we can finally celebrate — our voices were loud and clear, and together, we have elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House, by more than four million votes and counting! Their election proves once again that equality is a winning issue, and reflects both the incredible work of this organization and the strength of our shared unity.
The Biden/Harris White House will be the most pro-equality in history. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are not just our allies, but they are true advocates for LGBTQ equality. These leaders have a clear vision: a vision where LGBTQ people are protected from discrimination; a vision where transgender and gender non-conforming people don’t fear for their lives walking down the street; a vision where LGBTQ children are loved, embraced and protected from bullying.
The results of this presidential election affirm that every vote and every voter counts. LGBTQ people and all marginalized Americans came together to make this victory possible, and now the journey to safety, equality and acceptance can continue forward.
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have promised to fight for America as a place where we all can belong and succeed, where truth and kindness matter. In the early days of their administration, they must prioritize protecting LGBTQ people equally under the law in a country where we can live without fear. We must all also confront the racism and bias that fueled the division of the last four years, and resolve to come together for justice and equality for all. We are eager to act on this historic vote for progress and get our country back on track.
From Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund:
Today, I breathed a sigh of relief for the first time in years, even as we know that we have hard work ahead of us. My hope is that after four years of white supremacist policies, actions and rhetoric aimed at the worst impulses of those who see LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, people of color, people with disabilities, and so many as the ‘other’ as targets for discrimination and prejudice, we have elected national leaders who have vowed to see and fight for the humanity in all of us.
I am filled with hope because our children will again live in a nation led by an administration that sees their potential, their resilience, and their diversity as strengths. I am filled with hope because for the first time in history a woman will serve as Vice President of the United States of America. After more than 100 years of women of color being cut out of the protections gained by the constitutional amendment granting mostly white women the right to vote, a woman of color will be bringing her expertise, experience and vision to lead this nation.
From Rebecca Isaacs, Executive Director of Equality Federation:
The will of the people is clear: voters have chosen Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to move us forward together towards a better future. This has been a long, difficult election unlike any we have witnessed before. But the story of the election is this: Despite all of the obstacles, we voted in enormous numbers for democracy, for justice, for equality, and for each other.
There is no question that President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris will be champions for advancing LGBTQ equality.
The will of the people is clear: voters have chosen Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to move us forward together towards a better future. pic.twitter.com/Ie0TyZp3td
From Imani Rupert-Gordon, National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director:
President-Elect Joe Biden has long been a champion of our community and he has promised the most LGBTQ-inclusive administration that has ever been in the White House. The opportunity to partner with a friendly administration and rebuild has never been greater.
And additionally noteworthy, Kamala Harris not only represents the first woman ever with the title Vice President-Elect, but also the first Black woman and South Asian woman to hold the position, which will provide a perspective that we have never had in that role before.
LGBTQ ally and anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen Some news items you might have missed: • Calendar Season: LGBTQ ally and anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen (above) announces his 2021 calendar is available for shipping by October 30. #WeLoveBenCohen #Woof • The Advocate: Monica Roberts, the transgender activist and blogger who founded TransGriot 15 years ago, has died. She was honored with special recognition award for her blog at the 2016 GLAAD Media Awards and named one of The Advocate’s 2020 Women of the Year in May. • Pink News: CNN’s Anderson Cooper condemned Trump’s “recklessness” while carrying a deadly disease (coronavirus) while pointing out that HIV positive people can be jailed for the same offense. • Instinct Magazine: How do you show up for Black Lives? By actually showing up where they are and getting to know them. • Forbes: Democrats raised $15 million in just over 12 hours after the start of Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate—a sign that Sen. Kamala Harris’ (D-Calif.) performance against Vice President Mike Pence resonated with at least some viewers. • Fox News: Take a few seconds to take in the epic clap back from former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg when he dropped by Fox News prior to last night’s veep debate. The hosts tried to score a dig at Sen. Kamala Harris and Buttigieg didn’t hesitate to throw shade with a straight face. Watch below.
Pete Buttigieg really went on Fox News and asked “why an evangelical Christian like Mike Pence wants to be on a ticket with a president caught with a porn star.” pic.twitter.com/PQnodtivC8
In case you missed it, the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate last night was pretty much what we all expected. Vice President Mike Pence spent a lot of the 90 minutes interrupting Sen. Kamala Harris, and a fly landed on his head stealing the veep’s thunder. Harris was fairly restrained and was more successful than Pence at following the agreed upon rules for the debate. A CNN snap poll taken directly after the event found Harris was viewed as the winner of the debate by an overwhelming majority of 59% versus 38% who thought Pence came out on top. Also from that survey, Harris went into the debate with 56 percent favorability and afterward that rose to 63 percent, while Pence began and ended the night at 41 percent. Female respondents said Harris did the best job in the debate by a 69% to 30% margin. Men, meanwhile, split about evenly between Harris (48%) and Pence (46%). Note – women make up a majority of the voting public. Over at the New York Times, the opinion writers were split over the victor with 11 calling it for Harris, 4 for Pence, and 2 a tie. Click here to see what the group of writers thought were the most pivotal moments and some small remarks that resonated. At the end of the day, the veep event did little-to-nothing to change the direction of the election. And in that case, Harris did her job. Social media, however, became enthralled by a fly landing on Pence’s head and remaining for several minutes.
In this week’s podcast from The Randy Report: • Longtime LGBTQ ally Sen. Kamala Harris is Joe Biden’s pick for running mate in the 2020 presidential election • Plus, Harris has named a proud Black lesbian political heavyweight as her chief of staff • A judge in Kentucky says a photographer can legally discriminate against LGBTQ people • Ricky Martin told OUT Magazine he once feared he’d never be a parent because of his sexuality, and now he’s a father of four 🙂 • Disney introduces its first bisexual character on ‘The Owl House’ • And the top 5 “Gayest States in the Country” All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report
Randy Rainbow serves up a musical homage to Democratic vice-presidential pick Kamala Harris set to the title tune of the 1960 Tony Award-winning Lerner and Loewe musical, Camelot.
And though Trump calls her phony, mean and nastyThere’s no doubt she’s more qualified than heShe sold me when I saw her come for KavanaughFor no one makes a grown man cry like she canKamala!
Rush Limbaugh (screen capture) Folks are seeing Rush Limbaugh’s name trending on Twitter, and this is why. Sadly, I think I’m so used to Limbaugh’s grotesqueness that this doesn’t surprise me. Limbaugh, currently on his fourth wife and an admitted opioid addict, would be ill-advised to pretend some ‘moral high ground’ in regard to Harris. Media Matters reports on Limbaugh going on an unsavory rant last Friday pushing right-wing stories calling Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), the presumptive Democratic vice presidential candidate, a ‘hoe’ and a ‘mattress.’
“The NBA has fired a freelance photographer because he insulted Kamala Harris. His name is Bill Baptist. He posted an image that read ‘Joe and the Hoe.’ H-O-E. Now, what do you think that’s about, ‘Joe and the Hoe’?
[snip]
“Well, that takes me to the second story. ‘It’s no secret, but public knowledge that Kamala Harris slept her way up into California political life by being a very public escort and mattress for California Democrat kingmaker Willie Brown.’
“Now, some people read this story, ‘Mattress? Didn’t he mean mistress?’ No, I think they meant ‘mattress’ here.
“So we have two different stories here that are trading off the known fact that she was Willie Brown’s mattress, and that he has written about it, and that he has talked about how it propelled her — that he ended up being one of her mentors.”
Rush Limbaugh referred to Sen. Kamala Harris as a "ho" and "mattress" to millions of listeners, and somehow, GOP leaders who support him–including Trump, who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom–will not be pressed about this.
Let’s be very clear, Rush Limbaugh is a racist, sexist, misogynistic, vulgar, evil, hateful, moronic, hideous, pile of shit whose been married 4 times and was gifted the Medal of Freedom by a rapist criminal predator. And some were wondering why I felt nothing when he got cancer.
