As Election Day draws closer, you know that California Senator Kamala Harris would like be your next Vice President. What you may not know is that the man in charge of the state's elections is being promoted as a replacement for Senator Kamala Harris, should she win the election.
Latino Victory Fund announced the launch of "Pick Padilla" campaign in August with the intent of encouraging Governor Gavin Newsom to appoint California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate if Senator Kamala Harris' seat is vacated, so she may step into her Vice Presidential role next January if elected. The campaign has been accompanied by what the group called a "five-figure digital ad buy" trying to drum up public support. Those ads are expected to continue running in key markets through Election Day.
That raises the question of whether or not a conflict of interest therefore exists which might compromise the integrity of the election in California.
Padilla is a strong supporter of the effort to mail ballots to every registered voter in the state, so Californian may vote safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also frequently said that the voting process in the state is secure.
"Some people believe voter fraud is a problem in California," Padilla said. "When we have elections in California, we want everything to be fair. In order to vote, you need to be at least 18 years of age, and you need to be a U.S. citizen," he said at a town hall earlier this year. "There've been numerous studies, investigations and reports done and all show the same thing: voter fraud is exceedingly rare."
However, Padilla also awarded a $35 million contract for voter outreach to public affairs firm with strong ties to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The company, SKD Knickerbocker based in Washington, D.C., helping to manage what's called the "Vote Safe California" campaign, and their goal is to get people to vote despite the COVID-19 pandemic. That contract has been criticized by Republican state lawmakers and is also being scrutinized by Republican in Washington. Read more about the contract by clicking here.
There appears to be plenty competition for Harris' Senate seat. Besides Padilla, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra's name has been mentioned. Representative Karen Bass, who also served in the California Legislature, is also reportedly an option. There are others, and Governor Newsom has not said if he has a favorite for such an appointment.