Member of the Assembly : One Day Before His Swearing-in, Tony Cardenas Takes Time to Visit the Capitol and Its Environs

Call it the story of Mr. Cardenas goes to the state Capitol.

Tony Cardenas, the 33-year-old political newcomer from Mission Hills, who on Monday was officially sworn in as the first Latino state legislator from the San Fernando Valley, spent Sunday afternoon trying his new digs out for size.

Along with some 80 family friends who flew here for the occasion--and rented out more than 20 rooms at a local motel--Cardenas and his wife, Norma, giddily took the insider’s tour of the state Capitol grounds, including a visit to his temporary new office--vacated by outgoing Assemblyman Richard Katz.

He walked through carpeted hallways lined with portraits of former Assembly speakers. He visited his seat on the Assembly floor, proud to see that his name tag was already in place. At one point, he grabbed his desk microphone and showed Norma how it worked.

Cardenas even had a few laughs with a new colleague, Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl, who he ran into in a downstairs parking garage.

Observers said the assemblyman-elect took it all in with all the aplomb of an 8-year-old baseball fanatic on his first trip to Dodger Stadium.

Sitting at his new office desk, Cardenas pointed to a small white button he assumed he would use to summon his staff--until an aide informed him that it was his own personal security button.

Cardenas gave a quizzical look. Some things, even for new state legislators, will take time getting used to.

On Sunday night, on the eve of his new life in politics, Cardenas and scores of friends and well-wishers gathered at a local restaurant, and sat spellbound as he talked of his political dreams and aspirations.

Welcome to Sacramento, Mr. Cardenas.