Newsom Names Laphonza Butler as Senator Feinstein Replacement

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced Democratic Party political strategist Laphonza Butler as the candidate to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). The longest serving woman in the U.S. Senate, Mrs. Feinstein, 90, passed away last week at her home in Washington following months of poor health. She had already announced in February her intention to retire on Jan. 3, 2025, at the end of her current term. She would have been approaching 92 by the time she retired. In a Sept. 29 post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Ms. Butler paid tribute to her predecessor, calling her a “Titan” and a “legendary figure for women in politics.” According to a press release from the office of Gov. Newsom, Ms. Butler will complete the United States Senate term of the late senator Dianne Feinstein, which runs through 2024. “An advocate for women and girls, a second-generation fighter for working people, and a trusted adviser to Vice President Harris, Laphonza Butler represents the best of California, and she’ll represent us proudly in the United States Senate,” Gov. Newsom said. “Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington D.C,” he added. Ms. Butler will now serve as the next senator until the November 2024 election, when voters will formally decide on Mrs. Feinstein’s official replacement in the election. Mr. Newsom had made public promises to appoint a woman of colour if either of California’s Senate seats opened up dating back to at least 2021, when he told MSNBC host Joy Reid in an appearance on her show that he had multiple people in mind.