Speculation grows around Governor Newsom's senate pick

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Now that the news networks have called the presidential race for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, much of the focus now shifts to the race to fill Vice President-elect Harris' senate seat. 

“For Newsom, there is both a political advantage to it and there’s a political risk to it," said Joe Garofoli, senior political writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. "On one hand you get to appoint a senator and make one sliver of your electorate happy and you’re going to tick off the rest of them.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom must make a consequential decision— whoever he appoints will finish the remaining two years of Senator Harris' term and face re-election in 2022. 

On Monday, the governor again fielded questions on what he's previously called a "vexing decision." 

“We are working through the cattle call of considerations related to what’s the profile, right choice to replace Senator Harris," said the governor during a regular briefing about COVID-19. "When, is one part of that decision-making process. Who is perhaps the more challenging part of that decision-making process.” 

Speculation began flying as soon as Biden named Harris his running mate and it's only grown since the race was called. Among the list of names being thrown out as possible contenders: Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Attorney General Xavier Beccera, Rep. Karen Bass from LA, Rep. Barbara Lee from Oakland, Rep. Ro Khanna from the South Bay. And that's just the shortlist. 

San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf are also said to be among the potential choices.

 Garofoli says one strategy might be to pick a statewide elected official. 

“That way, for the person doing the picking, he gets to make two appointments," said Garofoli. "So he can make one group happy. Oh wait, we have another appointment here, maybe you can be attorney general or secretary of state.” 

The governor could make history with the pick. Despite making up nearly 40% of California's population, the state has never had a Latinx U.S. senator. 

Latino community groups are pushing for representation; Secretary of State Padilla is said to be atop the list. 

“Interested, of course. Am I talking to him about that yet? No." said Padilla during election week. 

Other groups are lobbying for representation also, including the LGBTQ community as well as pressure for Newsom to appoint another woman to the senate. 

Congresswoman Lee, a progressive, said she wasn't ready to talk about the upcoming appointment, shortly after the presidential race was called on Saturday.

“Honest to God truth, I’ve been really focused on all this work as it relates to the campaign," said Lee. "I’m celebrating today like everyone and we’ll have a talk another day about that.”

While the potential picks remain tight-lipped, it's clear the governor has a lot to think about. 

“It’s both a huge opportunity for Newsom and a lot of potential for blowback and criticism, but that’s life at the top," said Garofoli. 

The last time a California governor appointed a US senator was in 1991.