AMNA NAWAZ: And now for another# take on the convention process,## I'm joined by California Senator Alex Padilla.# He assumed Vice President Harris' seat in the## Senate when she joined the White House,# and he has endorsed her for president.

Senator, welcome.

Thanks for joining us.

SEN. ALEX PADILLA (D-CA): Thanks# for having me.

Good evening.

So AMNA NAWAZ: So, it seems as if the party# has now essentially lined .. President Harris.

There's some folks we# have heard who are still sort of talking## about a mini primary or open convention# of some kind, but are there any murmurs## you're hearing about anyone who might# step in to challenge her at this point?

SEN. ALEX PADILLA: No, not at this point.# And even though there was some chatter## about the possibility yesterday in the# wake of President Biden's announcement,## I didn't really see that happening.

You have seen the number, the outpouring of# endorsers and supp.. and everywhere in between.

I think it's both# a reflection of the strength of Kamala Harris,## now our soon-to-be-official Democratic# nominee for president of the United States.

But, as a Californian, it doesn't come# by any surprise.

I have known her,## I have worked with her for a couple of decades# now.

If there's one thing about Kamala Harris,## that she is truly a coalition-builder.# It's what you need to be successful in## California.

It's what the party and# the country needs at this moment.

So I'm thrilled to be on board# and happy to do whatever I can## for the next 106 days to make# sure that we win in November.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, as President Biden endorsed## her to take his place at the top of# the ticket, she issued a statement,## and she said something that stuck out.

She said# she intends to earn and win the nomination.

What does that earn mean to# you?

What does she need to do?

SEN. ALEX PADILLA: Yes, well,# I think there's two parts,## first to earn this opportunity because# of her decades of public service,## her tremendous track record, the# values that she brings to the table.

And then, near term, yes, this is nothing to be# taken for granted.

There is respect for delegates## and Democrats beyond that.

So, we're# not talking about this being January## before the primary season.

We have# gone through the primary season,## more than 14 million voters voting# for the Biden/Harris ticket.

And so while appreciative of President Biden's# service, not just the last two-and-a-half years,## but throughout his career, he has chosen to step# aside, and he has thrown his weight behind Vice## President Harris.

The rules of the party are such# that it will be formalized at the convention.

And so Vice President Harris, I think, is being# respectful in that, as the reporting has covered.## She's working the phones.

She's reaching out# not just to members of Congress on the Hill,## but elected leaders, community# leaders throughout the country,## asking for people's support.

People are# enthusiastically offering their support.

It'll be formalized at the convention, and we have# a lot of work to do to reach out to voters, make## sure we organize, mobilize, and get out the vote,# because the stakes of this November's election## remains perilously high.

The threat of Donald# Trump and MAGA Republicans is worse by the day.

AMNA NAWAZ: Senator, we have already seen# the Trump/Vance campaign targeting her## in some political ads, going out with the# messaging to further tie her to the Biden## campaign and seeing that policies that they# see of his as a failure she was also tied to.

Could a challenger of some point,# at some point right now, actually## inoculate her from those kinds of attacks# to say that she did go through a process,## there wasn't an anointing of any kind here?

SEN. ALEX PADILLA: Yes, no,# look, what I would say is,## again, she's being respectful to the process# outlined by the Democratic National Committee,## being respectful of delegates and other important# voices within the Democratic Party infrastructure.

But let's also be real.

Let's not let Donald# Trump and MAGA Republicans try to change the## focus here.

They're going to try to attack her# because they're misogynistic, they are racist and## worse.

They're trying to attack her because# they want to pivot away from their agenda.

We just came off of the Republican# National Convention, a week long of## Project 2025 talking points with speaker# after extremist speaker spewing lies,## spewing falsehoods, spewing a radical agenda.

When I talk about the stakes# being huge this November,## that's what's at stake.

We know what we will# get with the Republicans and Donald Trump,## and nobody wants to go back to the disaster of# his administration.

Let's continue their progress## and the leadership of the last two-and-a-half# years under the Biden/Harris administration.

But, for the next four years, it'll be a President## Harris and a vice president to# be determined administration.

AMNA NAWAZ: So tell me more about# that to be determined.

I mean,## if beating Donald Trump is the number one goal# for Democrats right now, which potential running## mate gives a potential President Harris the best# chance to beat that ticket?

Who should it be?

SEN. ALEX PADILLA: That is a great question,# and a great question for soon-to-be-Democratic## nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

So I would not dare to suggest who it ought to# be.

The great news is that the Democratic Party,## the Democratic family has a lot of tremendous# talent to offer.

And I'm sure Vice President## Harris will pick somebody who is a great# governing partner, somebody who will be## prepared to take over on day one if need be, and# somebody who will be out there campaigning hard,## earning the vote of the American public, so# that we indeed are successful in November.

AMNA NAWAZ: If she is the nominee, should# voters look at this as a continuation of## a Biden/Harris administration, or does# she need to strike a different direction?

SEN. ALEX PADILLA: The --# I think it'll be building## on the success of the Biden/Harris administration.

I mean, my God, we have seen a successful# President Biden's three-and-a-half years,## better than any president in recent history,# from the Inflation Reduction Act, reducing## costs for working families, bipartisan# infrastructure package that is not only## modernizing infrastructure across the country, but# creating thousands, millions of good-paying jobs.

We have seen -- we came out of a# pandemic.

We're tackling climate## change.

The CHIPS and Science ACT really# put the United States back in a leadership## position globally when it comes to chips and# semiconductors.

And there's more to build on.

What I'm eager to hear is the voice of Vice# President Harris, a prosecutor, let's not forget,## up against the voice of Donald Trump, a convicted# felon.

Let's take them to task when it comes to## reproductive rights.

Let's take them to task# when it comes to voting rights and so much more.

It's going to be an exciting campaign,## and I'm looking forward to four more full years# when President Harris is in the Whit.. AMNA NAWAZ: That is California Senator# Alex Padilla joining us tonight.

Senator, thank you for your# time.

Good to speak with you.

SEN. ALEX PADILLA: Thank you.