Dear Gov. Newsom: If Kamala becomes vice president, California needs a Latino senator

Joe Biden’s decision to pick Sen. Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants and a woman of color, as his vice-presidential nominee was surely a historical moment in our history.

A win in November could provide an opportunity for Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint California’s first Latina or Latino United States senator in January.

The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution empowers state governors to make appointments to fill their state’s vacancies in the U.S. Senate. Governors have made such appointments 201 times throughout U.S. history, including five times in California with John Seymour in 1991, Pierre Salinger in 1964, Thomas Kuchel in 1953, William Knowland in 1945 and Thomas Storke in 1938.

As former chairpersons of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, we urge Gov. Newsom to appoint a Latina or Latino to the Senate.

There is no shortage of highly qualified Latino candidates in our state. In fact, 40% of Californians are Latino and our share of the state’s population is growing. Now is the time to consider appointing one of the following talented candidates:

▪ Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, former congress member, state Senator and assemblymember. Served as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Barack Obama.

▪ State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, a strong labor leader, former secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Labor Federation and vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee.

▪ State Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, a trailblazing, pro-labor legislator who has authored landmark worker legislation.

▪ Congressmember Norma Torres, former assemblymember and the first Guatemalan-born member of Congress.

▪ Amanda Renteria, former national political director for Hillary Clinton and first Latina congressional chief of staff.

▪ Monica C. Lozano, former member of President Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, former UC Regents board chair, and publisher and CEO of La Opinion newspaper

▪ Dr. Cynthia Telles, a healthcare leader, director of UCLA’s Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence and member President Obama’s Commission on Presidential Scholars

▪ Senate President Pro Tem Emeritus and Los Angeles Councilmember-elect Kevin de León, who ran against Sen. Dianne Feinstein and is an accomplished legislative leader who enacted landmark renewable energy laws

▪ State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a former congressman and state assemblymember. Has won a record number of court cases against President Donald Trump.

▪ State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, one of the longest-serving Assembly speakers, who helped lead California to stronger financial ground prior to the pandemic.

▪ Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a former State Senator and former president of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO).

▪ Los Angeles Councilmember Gil Cedillo, a former assemblymember and state senator. One of California’s biggest champions for immigrants and Dreamers.

▪ Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the first Jewish American mayor and second consecutive Mexican American Mayor of the city with the largest number of Latino residents

▪ State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, a former assemblymember. His mother was born in Panama and his father was born in Jamaica. The first biracial leader of California’s enormous school system

▪ California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, a former assemblymember and state senator, and also the first LGBTQ statewide constitutional officer in California.

Some have suggested that the Latino community should wait for the results of the November election before we start suggesting members of our community for the appointment. But Latinos in California know that wait-and-see story far too well, and we are tired of being told to wait our turn. Latinos are ready to serve at all levels of government in California, including our state’s highest offices.

In 2018, we had a record number of Latino candidates run for statewide constitutional offices and today, we have the first Latino state attorney general, insurance commissioner, state superintendent and secretary of state. There are also 13 Latino members of the U.S. House of Representatives from California, and that number is sure to grow in the years ahead.

However, a Latino has never represented California in the U.S. Senate. Gov. Newsom has an opportunity to fix that. A new chapter about Latinos in California is about to be written. Gov. Newsom is holding the pen.

This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM.