Kamala Harris has served as a California Senator since 2017, but if elected as Vice President, she will have to vacate her seat. While the House of Representatives holds special elections whenever there is a vacancy, some states, including California, allow governors to appoint a temporary Senator until the next Congressional election.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is in charge of finding a replacement for Harris, the United States’ second Black female Senator. While Newsom has not confirmed his list of potential appointees, his top two rumored choices are California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, according to a CalMatters report from August.