Democrats tap John Perez as next Assembly speaker today

Assembly Democrats this afternoon tapped John A. Perez to be the next leader of the California Assembly, a boost that would make him the first openly gay lawmaker to hold the powerful post.

Perez emerged from an afternoon meeting of the Assembly Democrats locking arms with his chief rival, Assemblyman Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) and the current top leader, Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles).

“It obviously an incredibly moving experience to have the unanimous support of my colleagues,” Perez said of his fellow Democrats.

Perez, a cousin of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, has served just a single year in the Legislature. As a result, he will be eligible to serve as Assembly speaker for up to five years – one of the longest tenures in the influential position since term limits capped Assembly service at six years.

A timetable for when he will replace incumbent Speaker Karen Bass, another Los Angeles Democrat, has not been set. Bass helped corral support for Perez last week, in part to fend off De Leon’s attempt to assume the speakership immediately.

The full Democratic caucus was set to meet early this afternoon. A full vote of the Assembly to formally elect Perez as speaker has not been scheduled.