Padilla deserves your vote. Twice
Of all the races in the June 7 California primary, the battle for U.S. Senate is undoubtedly the trickiest. Not because there’s any question about who deserves the seat — it’s not even close — but because the ballot is utterly confusing.
We’ll forgo the suspense and announce that we endorse sending incumbent Alex Padilla back to Washington for a full term. He is an experienced legislator and a staunch supporter of voting and abortion rights who will fight to bring much needed federal funds for housing and climate friendly infrastructure back to California. While it will be an uphill battle to manifest his compassionate approach to immigration into meaningful legislation, California is home to nearly a quarter of the nation’s immigrants. They deserve a champion in office.
We’ll talk about Padilla’s opponents in a moment. But, first, we feel the need to explain why those who agree with our assessment of Padilla need to vote for him not once, but twice in this election.
When you look on your ballot, you’ll notice two races for U.S. Senate. And many of the same names appear in both races, including Padilla’s.
That’s intentional – and not in a conspiratorial “stop the steal” way. And, no, Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat isn’t up for grabs.
Here’s what’s happening:
In January 2021, Padilla, then California’s secretary of state, was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill Kamala Harris’ open Senate seat, which she vacated when she became vice president. Her six-year term that Padilla filled expires in January 2023. However, a law signed by Newsom in September, AB1495, says that those appointed to open Senate seats in California can’t just coast until the end of the term they inherited. They have to earn that seat by winning in a regularly scheduled election.
This means that to stay in office through January, Padilla needs to win your vote. If he loses, someone else will get the gig for 54 days.
Padilla, however, doesn’t just want the job for 54 days; he wants an additional six-year term. Which means he has to win two races for senator on the same ballot.
In theory, Padilla could lose his job for 54 days, only to get it back in January. Or vice versa.
It’s all very confusing. Thankfully, the decision on who to vote for in both Senate races should not be. Padilla is far and away the best option among the more than 20 candidates for the job.
It would hard to find a candidate we agree with less than Padilla’s most prominent challenger, Republican Mark Meuser. A lawyer who represented Donald Trump in his defamation lawsuit with Stephanie Clifford, otherwise known as Stormy Daniels, Meuser is a firm believer in state’s rights — including on the issues of abortion and voter protections. He claims to have been motivated to run by the public health protections implemented during the worst of the COVID pandemic — which he views as Constitutional overreach.
Meuser is entitled to these beliefs, of course. But we can’t think of many Californians who would want him pursuing this agenda on their behalf.
Republican businessman Jon Elist, meanwhile, has never held public office but cited his five years at the management consulting firm McKinsey, working largely with public sector clients, international, federal, state and local governments as relevant experience. He also spent six years running a medical device company. He promised to use his tenure to increase transparency and accountability in government.
Padilla deserves your vote, twice, in the June primary.