SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As California State Senator Holly Mitchell prepares to transition to her new role as Supervisor-elect in Los Angeles County, one of her close friends, Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager, is already eyeing her newly vacant seat in the State Senate.

Before becoming a state legislator, Assemblymember Kamlager, who represents L.A., worked on Holly Mitchell’s campaign back when she was running for a seat in the Assembly.

Fast forward a decade, Kamalger has spent the last two years representing Mitchell’s former seat and is now preparing to run for her soon-to-be vacant seat in the 30th Senate district, which encompasses most of downtown L.A., Inglewood, Culver City, and South L.A.

“We will be losing the only Black female voice in the Senate with the loss of Senator Mitchell, and so being able to maintain that diversity in the upper house is really important, and I’m excited about the possibility of bringing my ideas to the red carpet,” said Kamlager.

Kamlager, who considers Mitchell a close friend and mentor, says she shed a few tears when she learned about Mitchell’s victory in the L.A. County Board of Supervisors race.

"She’s almost like a big sister to me," said Kamlager. "She provides tough love, honest love, open criticism."

While Kamlager notes she’ll miss walking down the halls of the State Capitol with Mitchell, she says she couldn’t be more proud of her friend and adds that she’s excited to continue the work Mitchell started in the 30th Senate District.

The Assemblymember vows to continue fighting for criminal justice reform in the legislature and says she was ecstatic to learn about the passing of Prop 17, which restores the right to vote for people who are on parole.

“We certainly ask them to pay taxes, so it also makes sense that we allow them, we allow them to reclaim their right to vote,” said Kamlager.

Kamalger points out she’s also optimistic about seeing more national criminal justice reform once Vice President-elect Kamala Harris takes office.

“She’s a mixed-race woman who continues to step into the fire and stand strong and firm, and I think she’s a role model for so many women who are in elected office,” Kamlager said.

She believes Harris’ California roots will make a difference when it comes to the policies that affect the Golden State’s 40 million residents.

“Having someone who understands all of those things and can help navigate the federal bureaucracy for us is going to be really important and, hopefully, as we’re moving through our legislative sessions and championing really big bills that we will able to see a supporter in her because, as they say, 'So goes California, so goes the nation.'"

While Gov. Gavin Newsom has not yet announced a special election to fill Mitchell’s seat in the legislature, he’s expected to do so by mid-December.

Kamlager says she’s looking forward to contending for the position and hopes to be the one to represent the 30th Senate District in 2021.