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Newsom Picks Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber To Be Next Secretary Of State

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber to be the next Secretary of State.

Newsom announced his pick to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State Alex Padilla Tuesday afternoon after appointing Padilla to fill Vice President-elect Kamala Harris's U.S. Senate seat.

If confirmed, Weber will be the first African American Secretary of State in California history. Dr. Weber is currently the chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus and has represented San Diego in the Assembly since 2012. Recently she chaired the 2020 California Electoral proceedings.

Her appointment has to be confirmed by the California State Assembly and Senate within 90 days.

Prior to coming to Sacramento, Dr. Weber served as the President of the San Diego Board of Education and was an Africana Studies Department professor at San Diego State University for 40 years.

Newsom called Weber, the daughter of sharecroppers, "a tireless advocate and change agent with unimpeachable integrity."

This is a developing story. 

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