Alex Padilla

Alex Padilla
Official portrait, 2021
Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2025
Preceded byDeb Fischer
United States Senator
from California
Assumed office
January 18, 2021
Serving with Adam Schiff
Preceded byKamala Harris
30th Secretary of State of California
In office
January 5, 2015 – January 18, 2021
GovernorJerry Brown
Gavin Newsom
Preceded byDebra Bowen
Succeeded byShirley Weber
Member of the California State Senate
from the 20th district
In office
December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2014
Preceded byRichard Alarcon
Succeeded byConnie Leyva
President of the Los Angeles City Council
In office
July 4, 2001 – January 1, 2006
Preceded byJohn Ferraro
Succeeded byEric Garcetti
Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 7th district
In office
July 1, 1999 – December 4, 2006
Preceded byRichard Alarcon
Succeeded byRichard Alarcon
Personal details
BornAlejandro Padilla
(1973-03-22) March 22, 1973
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
Angela Monzon
(m. 2012)
Children3
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (BS)
Signature
WebsiteSenate website
Campaign website

Alejandro "Alex" Padilla (born March 22, 1973) is an American politician and engineer serving as the senior United States senator from California, a seat he has held since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Padilla served as the 30th secretary of state of California from 2015 to 2021 and was a member of the California State Senate and the Los Angeles City Council.

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla to the United States Senate in 2021 after Kamala Harris was elected vice president of the United States; Harris, as the newly elected vice president and president of the Senate, swore Padilla in on January 18, 2021. In 2022, Padilla won a special election to complete Harris's term and election to a full Senate term.

Padilla became California's senior senator on September 29, 2023, upon the death of Dianne Feinstein.