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Who will replace Dianne Feinstein? Longest-serving female senator's death puts pressure on Gavin Newsom to announce her replacement

Gavin Newsom will have the final say on Dianne Fenstein's replacement but so far, he has given no indication of when he might appoint someone

LOS ANGLES, CALIFORNIA: The demise of Sen Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, September 28, has left California Governor Gavin Newsom with the daunting task of announcing a replacement for the remaining 15 months of her term. So far, Newsom only said in a 'hypothetical' statement earlier this month, that Fenstein's replacement would not be from the people currently running as placeholders, and when he made no indication of when he might appoint someone.

In 2021, Newsom initially promised that he would pick a Black woman to replace Feinstein if she somehow failed to remain in the Senate till January 2025, per New York Post.

This had come as a response to the backlash he received from some quarters after he appointed then-California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Sen Kamala Harris after she became vice president.

 

Following Feinstein's announcement earlier this year that she would not run for another term, three prominent House Democratic lawmakers, Reps Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee rushed to take her position, triggering a bitter and expensive primary battle.

What did Gavin Newsom say earlier this month?

Newsom told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ earlier this month that he would not pick anyone who is currently running for Feinstein’s seat to be a placeholder. “I don’t want to get involved in the primary,” he said.

He added, “It would be completely unfair to the Democrats that have worked their tail off. That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.”

Barbara Lee was unhappy with Gavin Newsom's statement

“If the Governor intends to keep his promise and appoint a Black woman to the Senate, the people of California deserve the best possible person for that job. Not a token appointment,” Lee said in a statement.

This came after she first noted, “The idea that a Black woman should be appointed only as a caretaker to simply check a box is insulting to countless Black women across this country who have carried the Democratic Party to victory election after election.”

“Black women deserve more than a participation trophy. We need a seat at the table,” Lee concluded her statement.

Gavin Newsom’s representatives called the scenario ‘hypothetical’

In response to Barbara Lee's anger, Newsom's Senior Communication Advisor Anthony York noted, “There is no vacancy for any US Senate seat, nor does the Governor anticipate there will be one,” Anthony York said.

He also added, “Voters will have their say on who should replace Senator Feinstein when they go to the polls less than six months from now.”

Much to Newsom's surprise, the situation came true. The governor will have the final say on the replacement but so far, he has given no indication of when he might appoint Feinstein’s replacement. 

What did Newsom say on Feinstein's death?

“Dianne Feinstein was many things — a powerful, trailblazing U.S. Senator; an early voice for gun control; a leader in times of tragedy and chaos. But to me, she was a dear friend, a lifelong mentor, and a role model not only for me, but to my wife and daughters for what a powerful, effective leader looks like," he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“She was a political giant, whose tenacity was matched by her grace. She broke down barriers and glass ceilings, but never lost her belief in the spirit of political cooperation", Newsom added. 

He then continued his touching tribute, "And she was a fighter — for the city, the state and the country she loved. Every race she won, she made history, but her story wasn’t just about being the first woman in a particular political office, it was what she did for California, and for America, with that power once she earned it. That’s what she should be remembered for." 

“There is simply nobody who possessed the strength, gravitas, and fierceness of Dianne Feinstein. Jennifer and I are deeply saddened by her passing, and we will mourn with her family in this difficult time,” he concluded.