Sydney Kamlager, California’s newest state senator, takes office

In this April 9, 2019, file photo, Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager D-Los Angeles, a member of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, gestures during a hearing in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

by: Associated Press

Posted: Mar 11, 2021 / 02:24 PM PST

Updated: Mar 11, 2021 / 02:24 PM PST

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Sydney Kamlager of Los Angeles was sworn in as California’s newest state senator on Thursday, making a short move from the state Assembly that will trigger yet another special election.

Kamlager replaces former state Sen. Holly Mitchell, her fellow Democrat who left mid-term after the November election to join the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

She had more than two-thirds of the vote in a March 2 special election, comfortably more than the 50% needed to avoid a runoff, according to the latest tally Thursday from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

Kamlager advanced from a seven-candidate field to represent the 30th Senate District in Los Angeles County. The district includes central and western Los Angeles County, including Culver City, Ladera Heights, View Park and West Athens, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Downtown, South Los Angeles, Crenshaw, Mid-City, Century City, Cheviot Hills and Mar Vista.

That gives the 40-member state Senate 31 Democrats and nine Republicans.

Another special election is set for April 6 to replace former Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber after she was appointed secretary of state.