Senator Padilla Applauds Vice Mayor Richardson’s Work to Deliver Real Results for Long Beach Residents; Says He Will ‘Stand Up for Our Values’

Long Beach, CA —Today, United States Senator Alex Padilla announced his endorsement of Vice Mayor Rex Richardson in the race for Long Beach Mayor.

“I'm proud to endorse Vice Mayor Rex Richardson for Mayor of Long Beach. Rex has consistently delivered for Long Beach working families,” said Senator Padilla. “As Mayor, he will continue working to solve homelessness, fight for cleaner air and open spaces, and restore public safety services. I know that Rex will stand up for our values, and I look forward to partnering with him to ensure that Long Beach remains a city in which all can thrive.”

Senator Padilla was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2021 and served as California’s Secretary of State before his appointment. He’s fighting in the Senate to defend democracy and the right to vote, protect our environment, increase access to health care, and uplift working families.

“I’m honored to receive support from Senator Alex Padilla, and I am ready to get to work for every Long Beach resident,” said Vice Mayor Rex Richardson. “We all benefit when leaders at all levels of government collaborate on solutions to our most pressing issues. I look forward to working with Senator Padilla to deliver solutions on homelessness and community safety as Long Beach’s Mayor.”

This announcement is reflective of the strong coalition supporting Vice Mayor Rex Richardson’s campaign and follows both Governor Gavin Newsom and Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles (PPAP) endorsements. It is clear that Long Beach needs a leader who will advocate for civil rights and social justice – including access to abortion care.

Since launching his campaign on January 3, 2022, Vice Mayor Richardson built a range of support from the Democratic Party, Labor, Environmental, and Women’s Rights organizations, and community leaders from nearly every corner of Long Beach.

In the primary, Vice Mayor Richardson finished first, earning 44% of the vote and dominating in seven out of Long Beach’s nine council districts. His priorities include addressing homelessness, protecting neighborhood health and public safety, investing in opportunities for youth, and confronting the effects of climate change.

About Long Beach Vice Mayor Rex Richardson

Rex Richardson is a Long Beach City Councilmember and regional leader with a proven track record of collaboration and problem solving that has helped improve the lives of Long Beach residents.

Throughout his life, Richardson has overcome tough odds. A son of working-class parents, Richardson’s father served our country in the Air Force, and his mother––a child of the South who integrated her school––worked as a union assembly line welder at General Motors. Richardson’s family fell on hard times when his parents divorced, exasperated by housing insecurity and deep poverty. With the help of public schools and youth opportunity programs, Richardson set on a path toward a better future. His and his mother’s hard work culminated in Richardson’s college acceptance, opening the door to a life different than he had experienced growing up. After serving as the Student Body President of Cal State Dominguez Hills, Richardson became a community organizer with SEIU Local 721, helping blue-collar workers in South Los Angeles County. At age 25, he bought his first home in North Long Beach, the first in his family to own real estate. Soon after, he began serving as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Steve Neal. Seeking to create greater change, Richardson won his City Council race in 2014 with 73% of the vote, making history as Long Beach’s youngest member ever to serve. Richardson quickly established himself as a collaborative leader and change agent, seeking to provide equitable investment and opportunities for the members of his community. He was re-elected to his position in 2018, and his peers chose him to serve as Long Beach’s Vice Mayor twice.

Richardson is the Immediate Past President of the Southern California Association of Governments and currently serves as a South Coast Air Quality Management District Board Member.

He and his wife, Nina Richardson, Ed.D., are homeowners in North Long Beach, where they reside with their two young daughters.