Overview

• Padilla told NOTUS he is not ruling out a campaign and said his current focus is a potential government shutdown, Proposition 50 and the recent Supreme Court ruling on policing.
• Multiple sources told the San Francisco Chronicle he is considering a run, with reporting that any announcement is unlikely before the Nov. 4 special election.
• He would not need to resign from the U.S. Senate to run, and he must file by January to appear on the June 2026 primary ballot, according to Times of San Diego.
• His profile has grown after his forcible removal from a Homeland Security event and from appearances in pro–Proposition 50 ads, which the Chronicle says are boosting his visibility.
• Several California lawmakers called him a formidable or “superstar” potential candidate, though some raised questions about who would be appointed to his Senate seat if he won, as polling shows Katie Porter leading with many voters undecided.