No caretakers: Alex Padilla and Shirley Weber both intend to run in 2022

California Democrats considering a run for the U.S. Senate or Secretary of State’s Office will face incumbent opponents in 2022.

In a virtual conversation with Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, Senator-to-be Alex Padilla and his successor, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, both said they intend to run to keep their seats in 2022.

Weber, nominated to fill the role of Secretary of State, could face challengers. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and Assemblyman Evan Low have both already registered campaigns for the office with the state.

“I don’t take on a task just to be someone who holds down the fort while something else is going on,” Weber said. “I suspect we will run a very active and aggressive campaign... There are colleagues who also have an interest in that, and I understand that and they have a right to run if they choose to, but I do plan to run in 2022.”

Padilla, who was appointed on Tuesday, has already begun fundraising for a 2022 bid. Less than two hours after naming Padilla to fill Harris’ Senate seat, Newsom’s campaign sent out an email to supporters, asking them to chip in for Padilla.

“The big issues, big challenges that we’re about to tackle we know require a longer term commitment,” Padilla said Wednesday. “I’m in this for the long haul so I look forward to hitting the ground running quickly, making the case for the support of Californians in 2022.”

When asked about why he chose Padilla and Weber for their respective appointments, Newsom spoke to their integrity and character.

“They’re here to do something, not be something,” he said. “I’ve seen it up close.”

Newsom got to know Weber closely when working on her police use of force bill more than a year ago. He praised her conviction in fighting for underrepresented people.

“That’s someone of character and someone of conviction and someone whose default is about you and me and others,” he said of Weber.

The governor’s history with Padilla goes back further. The two worked alongside one another for years, walking precincts and campaigning across the state prior to Newsom’s election to the governor’s office.. The two grew particularly close a few years ago, after they both lost a parent within a few weeks of one another.

“Those conversations, those are very personal and very raw, and someone reveals themselves in those moments,” Newsom said. “I’m blessed and you should feel blessed that we have two remarkable Californians that are now in positions where they can impact your lives, impact our lives and impact the lives of millions and millions of people who, frankly, have felt a little forgotten.”

Padilla’s departure for the Senate still leaves open the question of how his office will pay for its contract with consulting firm SKDKnickerbocker.

Months after signing on with the firm to produce a $35 million voter outreach campaign ahead of the election, the Secretary of State’s Office is still unable to issue payments due to what the State Controller’s Office says is a lack of budget authority.

As of November, the office was in possession of more than $34 million worth of unpaid invoices from SKDKnickerbocker.

Padilla on Wednesday defended the campaign, and said the delay on payments is the result of questions about which account should be used to pay the money.

“It will be resolved soon, no doubt,” Padilla said. “The controller’s office, department of finance, everybody’s sharpening their pencils and working it out.”

Weber said she’s confident in the administrators at the Secretary of State’s Office to work out a solution. Newsom also said he’s looking into it.

“We’re working with legislative leadership and finance and we’ll get that paid,” the governor said.

This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 2:13 PM with the headline "No caretakers: Alex Padilla and Shirley Weber both intend to run in 2022."