Padilla, Alejandro a Senator from California; born in Panorama City, Los Angeles County, Calif., March 22, 1973; graduated San Fernando High School, San Fernando, Calif., 1990; B.S., mechanical engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., 1994; mechanical engineer; aide to California Senator Dianne Feinstein; political campaign manager; staff member for California State assemblyman Tony Cardenas; member of the Los Angeles, Calif., city council 1999-2006; president of the Los Angeles, Calif., city council 2001-2006; member of the California state senate 2006-2014; California secretary of state 2015-2021; appointed as a Democrat to the United States Senate on January 18, 2021, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Kamala D. Harris, and took the oath of office on January 20, 2021.