San Francisco mayor says Harris’s Senate seat replacement is ‘unfortunate’

Mayor London Breed said the US Senate no longer having a Black woman in its ranks a 'sad reality'

Dec 26, 2020

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla‘s appointment to fill Vice President-elect Kamala Harris‘s former Senate seat will make Padilla the state’s first Latino senator.

But his appointment also means there will no longer be any Black women in the Senate.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed spoke out against the replacement, calling it a real blow to the African American community and an especially “unfortunate situation” in light of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that swept the nation this summer.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

“The sad reality is [Harris] was the only African American woman in the Senate at this time,” Breed said during a virtual press conference, according to Newsweek.

“And when you think about the history of this country and the challenges that exist for African Americans, especially African American women in the Senate, definitely this is a real blow to the African American community, to African American women, to women in general.

“It’s really challenging to put it into words, but it was definitely a surprise,” the mayor continued. “And it’s an unfortunate situation as we are trying to move this country forward and making sure that Black lives truly matter and that African Americans have a seat at the table, especially African American women, after what was done in this race on a national level. Definitely is unfortunate.

Along with U.S. Representative Karen Bass and U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (both Black women), London Breed, who is the first Black woman to be elected mayor of San Francisco, was a potential pick to fill Harris’s seat.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris campaigns Monday in support of Georgia Democratic Senate candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff during a drive-in rally at Bibb Mill Event Center in Columbus. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

Mayor Breed said there was a “lot of pride” when Harris became the first Black woman to run on a major party’s ticket and later became the first Black woman to be elected as vice president of the United States.

London Breed said she viewed Harris’s vacant Senate seat as another opportunity to “ensure that even though you may be the first, make sure you’re not the last” — words often spoken by Harris.

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