California Democrat Sen Padilla says he won't run to governor, as field awaits Harris' decision

Democratic California Sen. Alex Padilla said that he won't run in the state's gubernatorial race next year to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.

I choose not just to stay in the Senate, I choose to stay in this fight because the Constitution is worth fighting for," he said, according to the news outlet The Hill. "Our fundamental rights are worth fighting for."

There are currently seven Democratic candidates running to replace Newsom, who is term-limited. Whether former Vice President Kamala Harris will run is still unclear.

Padilla’s current term in the Senate ends in 2029. Earlier this year, he was handcuffed at a Department of Homeland Security press conference in June after interrupting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.