What happens to Kamala Harris' Senate seat now? Who is likely to be appointed to take her place?

Vice President-elect Sen. Kamala Harris will resign her seat in the Senate before she takes the oath of office on Jan. 20.

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Harris represents California in the U.S. Senate, and California places the responsibility to fill the seat on the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom.

California allows the governor to appoint a senator to fill a vacant seat until the next statewide general election, one of 37 states that do so, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

“We are working through the cattle call of considerations,” Newsom told reporters this week. “I want to make sure it’s inclusive, I want to make sure that we are considerate of people’s points of view.”

According to The Associated Press, a group of Black California lawmakers is lobbying for U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, who represents parts of Los Angeles and its suburbs, to replace Harris in the Senate. Bass was on President-elect Joe Biden’s shortlist for vice president.

She is a former speaker of the California Assembly and heads the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Washington Post reported that Newsom is being urged to appoint a Latino to replace Harris.

According to the story, Newsom may be considering California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

Others who could be considered for the post, according to The New York Times, include Rep. Adam Schiff; Mayor London Breed of San Francisco; Rep. Barbara Lee; State Senate President Toni Atkins and Rep. Ro Khanna.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti could also be on the list. He was a national campaign co-chair for Biden.

Eleni Kounalakis may also be considered. She is the state’s first female lieutenant governor and once served as President Barack Obama’s ambassador to Hungary.

Cox Media Group