‘MY OWN CLARITY’

Laphonza Butler Announces Decision on Running for Feinstein’s Seat

There are several other candidates vying for the open seat, including Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, and Adam Schiff.

Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA), who was appointed on Oct. 1 by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the late Dianne Feinstein’s seat until an election, said on Thursday that she would not run for the seat in 2024. In an interview with The New York Times, Butler said, “this is not the greatest use of my voice,” in regards to the position. But she did promise to be “the loudest, proudest champion of California,” in her remaining time in office. The senator posted on X, formerly Twitter, explaining her decision. “I’ve spent the past 16 days pursuing my own clarity – what kind of life I want to have, what kind of service I want to offer and what kind of voice I want to bring forward. After considering those questions I've decided not to run for a full term.” There are several other Democratic candidates vying for the open seat, including Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, and Adam Schiff. They have all been campaigning since Feinstein died late last month. Steve Garvey, the former baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is running as a Republican.