California Sen. Alex Padilla sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss Vice President Kamala Harris, his longtime friend and colleague. 

The son of Mexican immigrants, Padilla was appointed to Harris’ seat after she won the vice presidency in 2020. An MIT graduate, he initially hoped to become an aerospace engineer. But he was instead drawn to politics when, in 1994, California voters passed a proposition banning undocumented immigrants from public services, including education and non-emergency health care. 

Padilla quickly rose through the Democratic ranks in the state, forging close relationships with figures like Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom. After Newsom picked him to serve out the remainder of Harris’ term, he easily won the seat outright in 2022. 

In Washington, Padilla is known as a fierce advocate for immigrants and their families. He discusses his opposition to President Biden’s border crackdown this year, and his hope that Harris handles immigration issues differently. He also defends Harris’ economic agenda, and lays out an argument for why all Americans — in particular Latino voters — should support the Democratic ticket in November. 

Support for “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” is provided by Robert Granieri, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, Charles R. Schwab and Al and Kathy Hubbard. Corporate funding is provided by Stephens Inc.