CA Sen. Alex Padilla backs Kamala Harris in presidential campaign

COMMERCE, Calif. (KABC) -- Sen. Alex Padilla - who succeeded Kamala Harris in California's Senate seat - has added his voice to the growing chorus backing the vice president in her newly launched presidential bid.

Padilla, visiting Commerce to announce a $500 million environmental grant for the state, made it clear he is fully behind the Democratic Party's frontrunner for the nomination.

"If yesterday is any indicator, there is tremendous enthusiasm, tremendous energy and tremendous unity behind Vice President Harris's bid to become the Democratic nominee and the next president of the United States," Padilla said.

"For anybody paying attention, the stakes couldn't get any higher this November. The same values and momentum that brought so much progress and accomplishments during the last two and a half years will continue when we elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States."

Padilla previously served as California's secretary of state and president of the Los Angeles City Council. When Harris and Joe Biden were elected to the White House in 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla to fill Harris' former Senate seat. It was Harris, in her new vice presidential duties as president of the Senate, who swore Padilla into office.

A host of other California leaders have also quickly thrown their support behind Harris, including Newsom, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Padilla was visiting Southern California to announce a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant of nearly $500 million. The program, according to a statement from his office, "aims to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America's clean energy transition."