Alex Padilla: “The ultimate consequence is on women and families and that needs to be at the center of our actions here.”

I know how California elections work very, very well. They’re safe, they’re secure. They’re fair, they’re free, and they’re going to stay that way.

Still, this incident is a stark reminder of the very real dangers facing those who serve the public and who help administer our elections in the face of increasingly hostile political rhetoric — especially from Donald Trump.

The 2026 midterm elections have begun. We urge you to immediately reaffirm that the Department will forgo any actions that would interfere with the lawful administration of the 2026 elections.

Their only hope for trying to maintain any sense of power is to interfere. It’s to change the rules. It’s to rig the elections.