Alex
Padilla

Alex Padilla represents California in the U.S. Senate and has been a lifelong champion for healthy communities, environmental justice, and equitable democracy.

Padilla is the proud son of Mexican immigrants and was the youngest Latino ever elected to the Los Angeles City Council, where he led the creation of the city’s first Environmental Justice Zone. In 2006, he was elected to the California State Senate, where he authored and passed landmark climate legislation. In 2014, he was elected to serve as the California secretary of state where he worked to defend democracy. He was sworn in to the U.S. Senate after being appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021, becoming the first Latino to represent the Golden State in the U.S. Senate.

As a senator, Padilla will continue his work to protect communities, fight for transportation equity, and enact democracy reforms. Already, he has worked to advance vehicle emission standards and lead the Clean Commute for Kids Act. He was a strong proponent for the transformative climate and justice investments in the Inflation Reduction Act and helped secure billions of dollars to address drought and wildfires in the West.

Padilla will continue serving in the U.S. Senate after being appointed to fill the seat of former Senator Kamala Harris, who was elected as vice president of the United States and earned a 90% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. Padilla earned a 100% score in 2021 on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard.

In his own words:

“Climate change is the defining issue of our time, and I’m committed to using my platform in the Senate to tackle this looming crisis head-on. In California, we are already seeing the devastating effects of climate change, including prolonged drought, wildfires, and extreme heat. We must act quickly and decisively to preserve our planet for our children and grandchildren.”
– LCVAF Press Release