Assemblymember Evan Low, who serves as Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, issued two statements Tuesday regarding Gov. Gavin Newsom's historic appointments of Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate and Assemblymember Shirley Weber to succeed Padilla as the next Secretary of State. Both statements can be found below:
Appointment of Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate
“The LGBTQ Caucus is thrilled with the governor’s decision to appoint Secretary Padilla to the U.S. Senate," Assemblymember Low said. "During his time as California’s Secretary of State, Alex Padilla has passionately fought to protect transgender and gender-nonconforming voters’ access to the ballot box, supported same-sex marriage and championed inclusion by hiring a staff that represents California’s incredible diversity. Secretary Padilla is a worthy successor to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and we are certain he will represent our great state with honor and integrity. The LGBTQ Caucus cannot wait to continue working with him on issues affecting our community in the years to come.”
Appointment of Assemblymember Shirley Weber to Secretary of State
“Assemblymember Shirley Weber is an outstanding choice as California’s next Secretary of State. Anything is possible when passion meets purpose, and Assemblywoman Weber—who will become the first Black woman to hold the position—has been all about equity and results during her impressive career. She is an educator first and foremost, and her floor speeches were can’t-miss viewing. I have been honored to work alongside her in breaking down barriers to voting access, and I have been grateful for her allyship with the LGBTQ+ community. Our elections will be safe in her hands. I look forward to working with our next Secretary of State to modernize our voting systems while ensuring the voices of all California voters are heard.”
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