Progressive activist Kimberly Ellis made a mad dash to San Jose Monday to administer the oath of office for Santa Clara County’s newest supervisor.

Ellis—hailed as the most powerful unelected Democratic in California politics—packed the day’s schedule with swearing-in ceremonies of Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Controller Betty Yee, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the state’s first female Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis before the hour-and-47-minute jaunt from the capitol to the county chambers for Susan Ellenberg’s.

“Luckily, the highway patrol were otherwise engaged this evening,” Ellis quipped, “and I was able to get here with no delay.”

Like the commencement of the 116th Congress, Ellenberg’s officiation to succeed terming-out Supervisor Ken Yeager was marked by cameos of children, heartfelt embraces and a gajillion selfies.

After glowing introductions from her three grown children, daughter-in-law and beaming husband, Steve Ellenberg, the newest addition to the five-member county board thanked the team that helped her arrive at that moment, namely, campaign staff-turned-District 4 hires Angelica Ramos-Allen, Steve Kline and David Fernandez, as well as newly hired Chief-of-Staff Derrick Seaver and Communications Director Mayra Flores de Marcotte.

And especially her partner of 30 years.

“I have to admit that never have we had more fun together than running political campaigns in 2014 for school board and over the past two years for this seat,” Ellenberg said. “It is an incredible bonding experience. And truly, I feel overwhelmed with love and gratitude every time I think about him knocking on 20,000 doors to tell people one by one why he thinks I’m amazing and should be elected to serve our community.”

The audience laughed.

“Whoever said politics aren’t romantic,” she went on, “clearly has not met the two of us.”