With Feinstein Ailing, Newsom’s Vow Looms Over Senate Race
Two years ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California vowed on national television that if Senator Dianne Feinstein stepped down early, he would appoint a Black woman to replace her.
It was a promise that was only theoretical at the time even though questions were already emerging about the fitness of Ms. Feinstein, who turns 90 next month, to serve out her term. But after Ms. Feinstein contracted shingles earlier this year, was homebound and then returned to Washington frailer than ever, the contingency plan has become far more pressing — and more politically complicated.
A heated 2024 campaign to replace Ms. Feinstein is already underway, featuring three heavyweights from the California congressional delegation: Representative Katie Porter, a favorite of the progressive left; Representative Adam Schiff, who earned national fame managing the first impeachment of former President Donald J. Trump; and Representative Barbara Lee, the only Black woman of the three, who is best known for casting the lone vote in Congress against the war in Afghanistan more than two decades ago.
Now, if a vacancy comes, Mr. Newsom would have to decide whether to elevate Ms. Lee over her white rivals or find a caretaker who would agree not to seek a full term in 2024, presuming he keeps his pledge.
Source: The New York Times
