California has sworn in its first elected female lieutenant governor and its first openly gay statewide officeholder.
Eleni Kounalakis, a former ambassador to Hungary, opposed offshore oil drilling and promised to expand access to public education in two of the lieutenant governor’s many roles.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — the first woman to lead a political party in Congress — was among those at Monday’s swearing-in ceremony praising Kounalakis for breaking the glass ceiling.
Meanwhile, former state Sen. Ricardo Lara became the first openly gay statewide officeholder when he was sworn in as insurance commissioner.
The son of Mexican immigrants took his oath on a copy of an original Spanish version of the state Constitution.
