Should the 66-year-old Jenkins be seated, all three West Coast states will have out justices on their state supreme courts. Jenkins will be the first openly LGBTQ person and the third Black man to serve on the California Supreme Court.Having served as Newsom's judicial appointments secretary since 2019, he is expected to easily win confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.
Before now Jenkins had not been publicly out, having come out of the closet late in life, something he addressed during a joint appearance with Newsom Monday."I want to say to some young person who may be out there watching today who is struggling with their identity.