Alex Padilla represents California in the U.S. Senate since January 2021. He was appointed by Governor Newsom to fill Kamala Harris's Senate seat after she became Vice President. He is the first Latino U.S. senator from California. Won the 2022 special and regular elections.
Four promises chosen to span how voters across the political spectrum view this politician's record.
Padilla co-sponsored multiple immigration reform measures. Comprehensive reform with path to citizenship did not pass. 2024 Bipartisan Border Bill collapsed.
Pass infrastructure investment.
Voted YES on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, November 2021).
Climate action / Inflation Reduction Act.
Voted YES on the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022), $369B in climate spending.
Lower prescription drug prices.
Voted YES on IRA Medicare drug-pricing negotiation provisions.
Restore voting rights / John Lewis VRA.
Voted YES on cloture; failed 49-51 due to Republican filibuster + Manchin/Sinema opposition to rule change. Per /methodology, blocked-by-Congress when politician took maximally available action routes to PARTIAL.
Defend reproductive rights / WHPA.
Voted YES on Women's Health Protection Act cloture; failed 49-51 (Manchin NO).
Pass gun safety legislation.
Voted YES on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (June 2022). Assault-weapons ban did not pass.
Confirm Biden judicial nominees.
Voted YES on Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson + the majority of lower-court Biden nominees.
Support Ukraine.
Voted YES on every major Ukraine aid package 2022-2024.
Pass Equality Act / LGBTQ+ protections.
Cloture failed Republican filibuster. Respect for Marriage Act passed (signed December 2022).
Cancel student debt.
Supported Biden's broad cancellation (SCOTUS-struck-down). Approximately $138B in narrower cancellations approved.
Raise the federal minimum wage to $15.
The Raise the Wage Act of 2021 (included in early ARP drafts) was stripped on Byrd-rule objection. No standalone vote reached the floor.
Restore the SALT deduction cap.
House-passed BBB included full SALT restoration; killed in Senate. Cap remains at $10k through TCJA expiry. Per /methodology, blocked-by-Senate when politician took maximally available action routes to PARTIAL.
Tax corporations and the wealthy.
IRA imposed 15% corporate minimum tax + 1% stock-buyback excise. Largest corporate tax hike since the 1986 TRA.
With enough demand for objective journalism, SEALED Press researches and writes the next book in the series — full case studies, paper trails, and color-coded verdicts on every promise this politician has made.