Newly appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler announced that she will not be running for the late Dianne Feinstein's Senate seat.
The development comes less than three weeks after Butler was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and clears the way for an open race in the state. The race would feature three Democratic congressional members and a former Major League Baseball star.
Laphonza Butler Bows Out of Senate Race
Butler revealed her decision during an interview where she said that she intends to be the "loudest, proudest champion of California" during the remaining months of her term. However, she said that she realized that "this is not the greatest use of my voice."
The senator is a longtime California labor leader and rising star in the state's Democratic Party who was previously the president of the political action committee Emily's List. Her appointment came only a few days after Feinstein's death on Sept. 29 and followed a promise by Newsom to name a Black woman to complete the deceased senator's term, as per the New York Times.
The 44-year-old senator is the second Black woman to represent California in the Senate and is the first openly LGBTQ senator from the state. Butler said that after she took office this month, she gave more serious thought about her long-term career prospects and consulted more deeply with her wife and nine-year-old daughter.
She noted that no single event or concern was the influence on her decision and she did not rule out a future run for elective office. There are many in California Democratic circles who said that Butler would have been a formidable candidate despite her relatively short time to build a campaign before the primary that is set for March.
The senator said that she was aware that her decision to not run for Feinstein's seat was surprising. However, Butler said that this was a moment where she had to mind her own truth and hold it in her own heart.
Newsom previously signaled that his appointee, who was later revealed to be Butler, would be an interim pick. Many observers interpreted that as a desire for that person to not run in the 2024 Senate race, according to Politico.
Crowded Field of Candidates
The three Democrats who will be the focus of the state's 2024 Senate race are Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee. The former Major League Baseball star who is also part of the race is Steve Garvey who announced that he would seek the Senate seat as a Republican.
The other candidates who are part of the battle are Democrat tech executive Lexi Reese and Republican businessman and attorney Eric Early. The latter ran unsuccessfully for California Attorney General last year, said CBS News.
The three main candidates in the Senate race have each carved their own niche in the crowded field. Schiff focused on institutional theft and outraised his competitors by tens of millions. Porter parlayed her viral crusades against corporate greed into an uncommonly high profile for a three-term Congress member. Lastly, Lee was able to shore up the support of the influential Congressional Black Caucus.
