California Governor Appoints Laphonza Butler to Succeed Dianne Feinstein in Senate.
Butler is set to become the lone Black woman and the inaugural openly LGBTQ+ individual to represent the state in the chamber.
Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, has announced the appointment of Laphonza Butler, a Democratic strategist and former labor leader, to take over the Senate seat previously occupied by the late Dianne Feinstein, who passed away on Thursday. This decision aligns with Newsom’s commitment to appoint a Black woman to the Senate, despite calls to select Barbara Lee, a Black congresswoman from the Bay Area who is already a candidate for the 2024 election.
At 44 years old, Butler is poised to hold a unique position as the solitary Black woman in the US Senate, marking a historic milestone as the first openly LGBTQ+ individual to represent California in the legislative chamber. Her current role involves leading Emily’s List, a national political organization committed to endorsing Democratic women who champion reproductive rights. In addition to her current responsibilities, she has contributed her strategic insights as an advisor to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign and previously served as a prominent labor leader for SEIU California, which is the state’s largest union representing over 700,000 workers.
Feinstein, the most senior member of Congress and the Senate’s longest-serving woman, passed away at the age of 90 following a series of health challenges.
Butler’s current residence is in Maryland, as indicated in her Emily’s List biography. However, the Newsom administration reports that she owns a property in California and plans to update her voter registration to the state before assuming office. It is possible that she may be sworn in as early as Tuesday evening when the Senate reconvenes for its session.
Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, but Dianne Feinstein’s seat is currently unoccupied. Newsom’s swift appointment will provide the Democratic caucus with additional flexibility in tight votes, especially on nominations that face unanimous opposition from Republicans.
Newsom faced significant backlash when he initially expressed his intention to appoint an interim representative for the seat to avoid influencing the outcome of the 2024 Senate race. Advocates for Barbara Lee, including the Congressional Black Caucus, had strongly encouraged Newsom to choose her for the position.
Barbara Lee, along with Black women, serve as the heart of the national Democratic party, not just as placeholders,” expressed Aimee Allison, the leader of She the People, an organization dedicated to advancing women of color in politics.
The governor’s administration attempted to address the criticism by emphasizing that the appointee would have the option to run in 2024. Anthony York, the governor’s spokesperson, clarified that Governor Newsom did not request a commitment from Butler to refrain from entering the race. Candidates have until December 8th to file for the office.
Nevertheless, should Butler decide to run, she would encounter significant hurdles in building a campaign with only six months remaining before the March 2024 primaries.
To date, only two Black women have ever held positions in the United States Senate: Kamala Harris and Carol Moseley Braun.
Feinstein announced in February that she would not be pursuing re-election in 2024. Barbara Lee is in a competitive race for the Senate seat, facing off against two fellow congressional Democrats, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff. Notably, Lee is the sole Black woman in the race, but she is currently lagging behind Porter and Schiff in terms of fundraising and polling numbers.
Butler has not previously served in an elected position but boasts a substantial history in California’s political landscape. Before assuming her role at Emily’s List, she worked as a partner at a political consulting firm led by seasoned Newsom strategists, including Ace Smith, Sean Clegg, and Juan Rodriguez.
In a statement, Newsom expressed, “As a champion for women and girls, a second-generation advocate for the working class, and a valued advisor to Vice President Harris, Laphonza Butler embodies the finest qualities of California, and she will dutifully represent our state in the United States Senate.”
Butler, who expressed her deep honor in accepting the nomination, shared on X: “No one can truly match the legacy of Senator Dianne Feinstein, but I am fully committed to upholding her legacy and leadership by dedicating myself to the well-being of women and girls, laborers and unions, parents facing difficulties, and the entire state of California. I am prepared and eager to serve.”
Laphonza Butler was born in Magnolia, Mississippi. When she was 16 years old, her father passed away, and her mother sustained the family by holding down as many as three jobs simultaneously.
She earned her political science bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University, a historically Black college, where her professors included individuals with experience in the civil rights movement. In a 2021 interview with the LA Times, she shared, “The constant question was, ‘What are you doing for freedom?'”
For nearly twenty years, she dedicated her career to the SEIU, where she played a crucial role in organizing nurses and custodial workers. In 2009, she relocated to California to lead a division of the union that represented homecare and nursing home workers, achieving a significant victory by championing a $15 minimum wage. Her leadership led to her election as SEIU president in 2013.
Before her tenure at Emily’s List, she held positions at Airbnb, serving as the Director of Public Policy and Campaigns in North America, and worked as a political consultant. Notably, when she joined Emily’s List, she made history as the first woman of color to lead the organization. Given the 2022 decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn women’s constitutional right to abortion, the issue has gained significant traction and become a rallying point for many Democrats.
In March, California voters will face a dual decision, determining both the candidates who will vie for the unexpired portion of Feinstein’s term and those who will occupy the seat for a fresh six-year term commencing in January 2025.
It is anticipated that the seat will remain under Democratic control in the 2024 election. Democrats in California have not experienced a statewide electoral defeat since 2006, and the party enjoys an almost two-to-one advantage in voter registration over the Republicans.
California Senator Alex Padilla, who was appointed by Governor Newsom in December 2020 following then-Senator Harris’s election as Vice President, expressed his “honored” sentiment in welcoming Butler to the Senate. He also commended the governor’s prompt decision in appointing her.
