Gary Newsom Appointed Laphonza Butler as the Replacement for Dianne Feinstein

After a period of declining health, California Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away at the age of 90. She was the longest-serving female US senator. After this significant incident, Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California gained the authority to appoint a new senator of state.

Who Was Dianne Feinstein

Dianne Feinstein was an important figure in the politics of California. During her career, she held various positions and became a role model for all future female politicians.

Here are some of her achievements during her career.

• Federal Assault Weapons Ban (1994): Feinstein played a great role in banning federal assault weapons in 1994. This law basically forbids the sale, manufacture, or import of assault weapons and aims to reduce gun violence in the country.
• The Intelligence Committee: She was the first woman to become a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee oversaw the judicial branch. She was also the first woman to address national security and intelligence on this committee.
• Committee Assignments: Feinstein was also the first chairwoman of the Senate Rule and Administration Committee. In this committee, she was responsible for federal elections and day-to-day operations.
• Appropriations Committee: In this committee, she served to oversee the allocation of federal funds and budgets.
• 2014 Torture Report: The influential 2014 torture report was a comprehensive “six-year review of CIA’s detention and interrogation program”. This program aimed to unravel lots of different details from the George W. Bush era. The purpose of this program was also to provide accountability and transparency on the matters. Feinstein played a huge role in preparing and producing this report.
• Breaking gender-related barriers: Dianne Feinstein was the first woman to break numerous gender-related barriers in politics. She was both the first female chair of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the first female US senator from California.
• Advocacy for Important Matters: Feinstein discussed and advocated for various vital issues both in the state of California and in the country. Some of the topics she dedicated herself to include women’s rights, gun control, environmental conservation, access to healthcare, and so on.

Besides all of these achievements, one can see her as the pioneer of female leadership in the US.

Dianne Feinstein passed away in her home in Washington after a long period of dealing with serious health complications.

Who Will Fill Dianne Feinstein’s Seat

Gavin Newsom had mentioned a while back that in such a case, he would choose a black woman for the seat since there’s not enough black representation in the Senate.

Based on this, and now, after Dianne Feinstein has passed away, Gavin Newsom has chosen Laphonza Butler as the new senator from California to serve in the remainder of Dianne Feinstein’s term.

Who Is Laphonza Butler

Laphonza Butler served as the president of the Emily’s List, a national PAC that backs pro-choice Democratic women in politics. She is the first openly Black lesbian to join the Congress of the United States. Her career shows great attention and dedication in labor movements, advocacy for abortion rights, and so on.

Besides these, she has a notable set of experiences as follows.

• Political Advisory: Butler had a significant role in political campaigns and elections, such as serving as a senior advisor on Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign during the 2020 elections.
• Involvement with community: Butler has been devoting herself to organizations such as the University of California Board of Regents and the National Children’s Defense Fund. She is dedicated to improving education and child welfare.
• Advocacy for abortion rights: during her serving as the president of Emily’s List, she committed to advocating for reproductive rights. She supported the movement of women who aligned with such principles.
• Labor movement: During her role in Emily’s List, she led different positions in the labor movement, aiming to represent California’s long-term care workers.

Because of such experiences, the reason for appointing her as the new senator from California is apparent.

Gavin Newsom had also stated that she re-registered herself to vote in California from Maryland, where she served as the president of Emily’s List.

This had made it possible for her to be appointed the senator seat.

Gavin Newsom’s Comments about Laphonza Butler

Gavin Newsom’s appointment of Laphonza Butler as Feinstein’s replacement marks an important moment in the politics of California. Newsom was committed to assigning a black woman to the Senate to indicate his dedication to creating diversity and inclusion in politics. Since Butler has extensive experience in social campaigns, this makes her a suitable choice.

Gavin Newsom also stated in a tweet:

I'm proud to announce California's new United States Senator — Laphonza Butler.

He continued:

As we mourn the enormous loss of Sen. Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for -- reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence -- have never been under greater assault.

Laphonza has spent her entire career fighting for women and girls and has been a fierce advocate for working people. She will make history -- becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in the U.S. Senate. From her time as President of EMILY's List to leading the state's largest labor union, she has always stood up for what is right and has led with her heart and her values. I have no doubt she will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington.

Will Laphonza Butler Run for Senate?

The question now is whether Laphonza Butler will run for the Senate in the next year’s election. Butler had mentioned in her interview with The Times that she wants to “be focused on honoring the legacy of Senator Feinstein.” She also said that she wants to “devote her time and energy to serving the people of California”.

Butler mentioned that Newsom made it “clear that he would expect” whoever gets appointed to “do whatever they wanted to do”.

Nevertheless, it is expected that she will gain a lot of attention in the landscape in the remaining term, and that might affect her running next year.