3 Latino politicians considered top contenders to fill Kamala Harris' Senate seat

The presidential race is over, but the race to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the Senate is only just beginning.

Before she made history several times over as the vice president-elect, Harris became only the second Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate and the first from California to do so. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will likely keep that in mind as he appoints Harris' successor, but is also under pressure to appoint the state's first Latino senators as well, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Latinos make up 40 percent of California's population, yet there has never been a Latino representing California in the Senate. And given that Newsom has a "penchant for being able to call his moves history-making," there's a good chance he'll look to change that once Harris resigns to take her seat in the White House, The New York Times reports. Two of Newsom's top administration officials, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla, are Latino men, and are considered top contenders to replace Harris, The Washington Post reports. Robert Garcia, the mayor of Long Beach, may also be a top pick. Becerra, Garcia, and Padilla would all bring geographical diversity to California's top officeholders, who are largely from the north.

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Other potential contenders include Democratic California Reps. Karen Bass, Ro Khanna, Adam Schiff, and Barbara Lee; California State Senate President Toni Atkins; and San Francisco Mayor London Breed.