Alejandro “Alex” Padilla, California’s senior U.S. Senator, has spent his career breaking barriers, from becoming the youngest Los Angeles City Council president to the first Latino to represent California in the Senate. But one thing that hasn’t been a mystery until recently? His name. Born Alejandro Padilla on March 22, 1973, in Los Angeles, he’s always gone by “Alex,” a common shorthand for Alejandro in Latino communities. His parents, Mexican immigrants who worked as a cook and a housekeeper, instilled in him a fierce pride in his roots, something that makes the recent name controversy all the more pointed.
So, does Alex Padilla have a middle name? The short answer: No. Public records, biographies, and even his official Senate profile list him simply as Alejandro Padilla: no middle name in sight. But that hasn’t stopped confusion (or political jabs) from swirling. Enter JD Vance, the vice president of the United States, who recently referred to Padilla as “José Padilla” during a fiery speech in Los Angeles. The slip-up, or deliberate dig, sparked immediate backlash, with critics calling it everything from a petty insult to a racially charged slight.
You Might Like: Sara Burack’s Face: Plastic Surgery & $50M Net Worth (2025)
Why the “José Padilla” Mix-Up Matters
During a press conference defending the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles, Vance took aim at Democrats, including Padilla, accusing them of “political theater.” But what stuck out wasn’t just his criticism; it was his phrasing: “I was hoping José Padilla would be here to ask a question.” The problem? Padilla’s name is Alejandro, not José. When pressed, Vance’s spokesperson shrugged it off, saying he “must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.”
JD Vance served with Alex Padilla in the United States Senate.
Calling him “Jose Padilla” is not an accident. pic.twitter.com/UOgdzdKcuy
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 20, 2025
That explanation raised eyebrows because José Padilla is the name of a convicted terrorist. In 2007, José Padilla (no relation to the senator) was sentenced to 21 years in prison for supporting Al Qaeda. The implication, whether intentional or not, was hard to ignore: Vance seemingly conflated a sitting U.S. senator with a notorious criminal. California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t mince words, calling the misnaming “not an accident,” while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused Vance of disrespect: “How dare you disrespect him and call him José? I guess he just looked like anybody to you.”
For Padilla, the moment was emblematic of a larger issue. In an MSNBC interview, he dismissed Vance’s jab as proof of the administration’s “petty and unserious” approach. “He’s the vice president of the United States,” Padilla said. “You’d think he’d take the situation in Los Angeles more seriously.” The incident also highlighted the casual othering of Latino politicians, where names are mangled, identities blurred, and respect withheld in ways rarely seen with non-Latino counterparts.
The Bigger Picture: Names, Power, and Political Messaging
Names carry weight, especially in politics. For Alex Padilla, whose career has been defined by firsts—first Latino L.A. City Council president, first Latino California Secretary of State, first Latino U.S. Senator from California—the “José” moment felt like a regression. It’s not just about getting a name wrong; it’s about the subtle (or not-so-subtle) ways marginalized figures are diminished. Padilla’s parents came to the U.S. as undocumented immigrants before becoming citizens, and his rise from Pacoima to the Senate is a quintessential American story. But when a political opponent reduces that story to a misused name, it underlines the double standards at play.
Senator Padilla is quite perturbed by JD Vance calling him ‘Jose’ — “He knows my name!” pic.twitter.com/xfcUpNdclp
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) June 21, 2025
Vance’s comments also landed amid a heated battle over immigration enforcement in Los Angeles, where Padilla has been a vocal critic of Trump’s hardline policies. Days earlier, Padilla had been handcuffed by federal agents after interrupting a Homeland Security press conference, a moment Vance dismissed as “grandstanding.” The contrast was stark: Padilla, the son of immigrants, advocating for marginalized communities, while Vance, a former senator turned VP, framed him as a disruptor. The name mix-up, intentional or not, became a proxy for that clash.
What’s Next for Padilla—And the Fight Over Identity
Alex Padilla isn’t letting the moment slide. Known for his work on voting rights, climate action, and immigration reform, he’s turned the incident into a rallying cry. Meanwhile, Vance’s team hasn’t walked back the “José” comment, leaving it to dangle as either a gaffe or a deliberate provocation. Either way, the fallout speaks volumes about the current political climate, where names, identities, and narratives are battlegrounds.
Also See: Sean Hjelle’s Wife Caroline Hjelle
For now, one thing’s clear: Alex Padilla’s name is Alejandro. And if anyone forgets, California—and the internet—will be happy to remind them.
