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U.S. Senator from California

Alex Padilla

Democrat · California

Appointed in 2021 to fill Kamala Harris's seat. Former California Secretary of State. Focus on immigration, voting rights, and climate change.

Record

Strong progressive. Champion of immigration reform and pathway to citizenship, voting rights protection, and climate action. Co-sponsored major climate and social spending legislation.

Legislative Record

Recently sponsored bills (8 on record)

  • S.5124 — A bill to prohibit interference in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
  • S.5066 — A bill to improve the health of minority individuals, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 22, 2026)
  • S.5020 — Improving Housing Performance Act (Introduced, Jul 16, 2026)
  • S.4849 — State and Local Election Security Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 22, 2026)
  • S.4812 — FIRE SMART Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 17, 2026)
  • S.4800 — Land of the Free Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 16, 2026)
  • S.4722 — A bill to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2777 Logan Avenue in San Diego, California, as the "Armando Rodriguez Post Office". (Introduced, Jun 9, 2026)
  • S.4640 — 9–8–8 Connect Act (Introduced, May 21, 2026)

Notable votes

  • Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — S. Res. 817 (Resolution Agreed to, Jul 30, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 817 (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jul 29, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 6644 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 with an Amendment (SA 5823) (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jun 18, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on S. 2 — S. 2, As Amended (Bill Passed, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Cortez Masto Amdt. No. 5463 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Padilla Amdt. No. 5808 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Gallego Amdt. No. 5813 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Peters Amdt. No. 5763 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)

Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)

  • S.4986 — Mamas First Act (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5190 — A bill to prohibit forced arbitration in work disputes, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5201 — A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect more victims of domestic violence by preventing their abusers from possessing or receiving firearms, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5183 — A bill to establish the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.2229 — United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
  • S.5168 — A bill to provide paid family and medical leave to Federal employees, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
  • S.4172 — AFTER Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
  • S.4429 — Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 (Reported, Jul 28, 2026)

Voting analysis

Alex Padilla is ranking member of the Rules and Administration Committee — the panel governing how the Senate runs itself and how federal elections are administered — and his own bills return repeatedly to that subject.

7.6%
Votes against the Democrat majority
210
Roll calls where a party majority formed
12 of 45
Rank among Senate Democrats, most defections first

Against his caucus's compromises

His departures point leftward. He voted against bills the caucus helped pass, against the cloture motions clearing them, and against an adopted amendment. There are no votes here supporting the Republican programme; they are refusals to accept negotiated outcomes.

The 10 most recent of 16 roll calls where Alex Padilla voted against the Senate Democrat majority.
Roll callDateOutcomeTheir vote
H.R. 6938
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 6938 · roll call 119		Jan 15, 2026Bill PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R. 6938
Motion to Invoke Cloture: H.R. 6938
On the Cloture Motion H.R. 6938 · roll call 119		Jan 15, 2026Cloture Motion Agreed toNay (party: Yea)
S. 1071
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1071
On the Cloture Motion S. 1071 · roll call 119		Dec 15, 2025Cloture Motion Agreed toNay (party: Yea)
S. 2296
S. 2296, as amended
On Passage of the Bill S. 2296 · roll call 119		Oct 9, 2025Bill PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R. 3944
Mullin Amdt. No. 3412
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3412 to S.Amdt. 3411 to H.R. 3944 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Aug 1, 2025Amendment Agreed toNay (party: Yea)
H.R. 3944
H. R. 3944, as amended
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 3944 · roll call 119		Aug 1, 2025Bill PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R. 3944
Collins Amdt. No. 3411, as amended
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3411 to H.R. 3944 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Aug 1, 2025Amendment Agreed toNay (party: Yea)
S. 1582
S. 1582, As Amended
On Passage of the Bill S. 1582 · roll call 119		Jun 17, 2025Bill PassedYea (party: Nay)
S. 1582
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Amdt. No. 2307 to S. 1582
On the Cloture Motion S. 1582 · roll call 119		Jun 11, 2025Cloture Motion Agreed toYea (party: Nay)
H.J.Res. 25
On the Joint Resolution H.J.Res. 25 · roll call 119		Mar 26, 2025Joint Resolution PassedYea (party: Nay)

The steadier California senator

California's two Senate seats are both Democratic, and the state's internal average is lifted by his colleague. Padilla falls below it.

Among the 2 Democrats in the California delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 8.6%. Alex Padilla is below that average at 7.6%.

What he legislates on

Elections dominate: a bill prohibiting interference in federal elections and a state and local election security measure sit alongside a minority health bill, the Improving Housing Performance Act and the FIRE SMART Act. He also holds senior positions on the joint committees covering the Library of Congress and printing.

Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. Alex Padilla's cluster into: Government Operations and Politics (2), Environmental Protection (1), Health (1), Housing and Community Development (1), Immigration (1).

609
Bills sponsored
2170
Bills cosponsored

Of the 8 most recent of those, 8 currently sit at Introduced.

Tenure and attendance

Appointed rather than first elected to the seat, Padilla now falls in the chamber's middle tenure group and has held one party label since. His absences are moderate.

First elected in 2021, now serving across 3 terms. Alex Padilla falls in the mid cohort.

4.5%
Roll calls recorded as not voting
220
Roll calls eligible to vote on
10
Recorded as not voting

By the numbers

In the 119th Congress, Alex Padilla has 609 bills sponsored, 2170 cosponsored, 8 recent floor votes recorded.

Committee assignments

  • Joint Committee of Congress on the Library (Senior member)
  • Joint Committee on Printing (Senior member)
  • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (Ranking Member)
  • Senate Committee on the Budget
  • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
  • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Energy
  • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
  • Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Water and Power
  • Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety
  • Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water

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