California Gov. Newsom will appoint Laphonza Butler to fill Feinstein's Senate seat
Source: CNN
Butler will become the sole Black female senator serving in Congress and only the third in US history. Feinstein, the longest-serving female US senator in history, died last week at 90.
The selection of Butler, first reported by Politico, comes as Democrats hold a narrow Senate majority and uncertainty looms over New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez’s political future amid outcry from his Democratic colleagues over his federal indictment.
Several high-profile Democratic candidates launched campaigns earlier this year to succeed Feinstein, who announced in February that she would not run for reelection. They include a trio of House Democrats: Reps. Adam Schiff, a former House Intelligence chairman who is backed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Katie Porter, a former deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; and Barbara Lee, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and a member of House Democratic leadership.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/01/politics/laphonza-butler-dianne-feinstein-successor/index.html
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walkingman
(9,424 posts)I read that she is a veteran organizer and the first openly LGBTQ Senator from California.
Everything cool starts in California!
RicROC
(1,248 posts)
Journeyman
(15,348 posts)44 years old? Why, she's 20 years younger than the average Senator this year.
Glorfindel
(10,124 posts)My Senator, Jon Ossof, is all of 36 years old.
Retrograde
(11,154 posts)per the Constitution- Biden was 29 when elected but 30 when he was sworn in
herding cats
(19,711 posts)She's n excellent choice.
question everything
(50,517 posts)
quakerboy
(14,399 posts)Californians deserve representation.
question everything
(50,517 posts)and if her family chose to sit shiva - the seven days Jewish mourning period
quakerboy
(14,399 posts)The family, and all who so choose are welcome to observe whatever period of grief they feel personally appropriate. But the senate is not, or at least should not in my opinion, be a religeous institution.
former9thward
(33,424 posts)How is McConnell going to be thwarted in the next couple days by this representation?
quakerboy
(14,399 posts)Dont want to find out.
About the roll she had in history, im sentimental. About the business of a senate seat, i am not.
Jose Garcia
(3,223 posts)
maliaSmith
(84 posts)I have no problem and actually appreciate that Gavin acted swiftly.
It's no disrespect to Dianne. We who voted for her appreciate her dedication and hard work, but life goes on and we need her in Senate ASAP.
SouthBayDem
(32,709 posts)From Wikipedia:
Butler was elected president of the California SEIU State Council in 2013. She undertook efforts to boost California's minimum wage and raise income taxes on the wealthiest Californians.[5] As president of SEIU Local 2015, Butler endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary.[8]
In 2015, Butler was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to a 12-year term as a regent of the University of California.[7] She resigned from her role as regent in 2021.[9]
Butler joined SCRB Strategies as a partner in 2018. At SCRB, she played a central role in Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign. Butler also advised Uber in its dealings with organized labor while at SCRB.[10] Butler was known as a political ally of Harris since her first run for California Attorney General in 2010 when she helped Harris negotiate a shared SEIU endorsement in the race.[5][11]
This state has had actors (Reagan and Schwarzenegger) as governor and US Senator (George Murphy). Sonny Bono (of "I've Got You Babe" fame) represented Palm Springs in Congress for a few years in the '90s.
And other vacant Senate seats have had interim senators who were staffers for the previous senators, or someone with state/federal government experience. For instance, Joe Biden's longtime Chief of Staff Ted Kaufman temporarily served as senator after Biden became VP. After Ted Kennedy died, his temp replacement was his former top aide and DNC chair Paul G. Kirk.
Similarly, when John Kerry became Sec of State, Gov. Deval Patrick appointed his top adviser Mo Cowan to Kerry's seat until Ed Markey won a special election. The senator who was appointed to (and eventually won election for) Kamala Harris's former senate seat is Alex Padilla, previously CA Sec of State.
Butler is one of the most unusual choices of interim senator I've seen.
Deminpenn
(16,846 posts)picking one of the 3 candidates. Presumably Butler will run in the special election to fill the remainder of Feinstein's term, but curious if she agreed not to run for a full term in the regular election.
sl8
(16,643 posts)"The announcement was expected to come Monday, and an adviser to the governor, Anthony York, told POLITICO that Newsom is making his appointment without putting limitations or preconditions on his pick running for the seat in 2024. That means Butler could decide to join the sprawling and competitive field of Democratic contenders seeking to succeed Feinstein, with special elections now layered on top of the March primary and November runoff."
FBaggins
(28,138 posts)The point of a "placeholder" is to fill the seat until the people have an opportunity to do so through the democratic process.
Demsrule86
(71,187 posts)She will be the first LGBTQ senator that I know of...
FBaggins
(28,138 posts)He doesn’t need to say so - but he would have picked someone with a better resume otherwise. She can’t be competitive with the three currently in the race in the few weeks left before filing closes.
And she’s at least the 4th LGBTQ senator (third openly so).
Demsrule86
(71,187 posts)consider voting for her or Adam.
JohnSJ
(98,883 posts)committe, and see if the repukes try to block it or not
riversedge
(76,166 posts)@GavinNewsom
I'm proud to announce California's new United States Senator -- Laphonza Butler.
As we mourn the enormous loss of Sen. Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for -- reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence -- have never been under greater assault.
Laphonza has spent her entire career fighting for women and girls and has been a fierce advocate for working people.
She will make history -- becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in the U.S. Senate.
From her time as President of EMILY's List to leading the state's largest labor union, she has always stood up for what is right and has led with her heart and her values.
I have no doubt she will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington.
Link to tweet
?s=20
PunkinPi
(5,104 posts)Link to tweet
A trusted adviser to @VP Harris and leader of the nation’s largest organization dedicated to electing women, Butler will make history as the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress.
Calista241
(5,624 posts)it doesn't, unless she runs for the office next year. Which it doesn't look like she is.
maliaSmith
(84 posts)She just moved there for a job.
She has lived in Calif for a long time and actually owns a home here in my beautiful state.
oasis
(52,384 posts)
republianmushroom
(20,288 posts)Magoo48
(6,477 posts)maliaSmith
(84 posts)Great choice Gavin.
mainer
(12,342 posts)And they used it to launch attacks on Markle for her uppityness in assuming she was qualified.
Of course no such thing was being considered, but it gave the Royalists half a week's worth of material with which to attack her.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12578609/Meghan-Markle-considers-run-office-Duchess-Sussexs-frame-Californian-Senator-Dianne-Feinsteins-seat-senator-died-aged-90-White-House-ultimate-aim.html
Deep State Witch
(11,931 posts)His other choices were already in office. They would have had to hold special elections to replace them. Or, in the case of Rep. Lee, appoint someone to take her place.
Autumn
(47,994 posts)
OhioTim
(345 posts)to Lee, Porter and Schiff who have already proven to be top-level members of congress.