California Governor Gavin Newsom has selected Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILY’s List, to assume the position left vacant by the passing of Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, as confirmed by the governor’s office to News. Butler’s appointment makes her the third Black woman ever to serve in the Senate and the first openly LGBTQ representative from California in the Senate.
Feinstein, the Senate’s longest-serving woman, passed away at the age of 90 last week. Under California law, the governor has the authority to appoint a senator until the next regularly scheduled statewide general election. Butler will serve in this capacity until the new senator, elected by voters in the November 2024 election, is sworn in.
Butler has been leading EMILY’s List, an organization that supports Democratic women who advocate for abortion rights, since 2021, making her the first Black woman to head the organization. In a social media tribute, she hailed Feinstein as a “titan in the Senate” and a “legendary figure for women in politics and around the country.”
Her appointment has been celebrated as a significant milestone for social, racial, and economic justice by Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ rights organization in the United States. Robinson commended Butler’s representation as a Black lesbian in the Senate, highlighting her advocacy for abortion rights, labor, and civil rights.
Butler has deep roots in California, having led SEIU Local 2015, the state’s largest union. She has also been a longstanding ally of Vice President Kamala Harris, served on the University of California Board of Regents, and worked as the director of public policy and campaigns in North America for Airbnb. Although currently residing in Maryland, she will switch her voter registration to California.
Governor Newsom had previously indicated his intention to appoint a Black woman should a Senate seat become available. He emphasized that this would be an interim appointment and ruled out selecting candidates running for the seat in 2024, such as Representatives Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Katie Porter. Butler, however, will have the freedom to run for the seat if she chooses.
The timing of her swearing-in remains uncertain but could occur as early as Tuesday afternoon when the Senate reconvenes.
Porter, Schiff, and Lee congratulated Butler on her appointment and expressed their eagerness to collaborate with her. Porter praised Butler’s dedication to women and working families, Schiff applauded Newsom’s prompt action in making the appointment, and Lee remained focused on her own Senate race.
Notably, Newsom previously appointed Alex Padilla as California’s senator following Vice President Kamala Harris’s election, meaning he has now chosen both senators for the state. Prior to Butler, the only other Black female senator in history was Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois.
California voters will participate in a Senate primary election on March 5, utilizing a blanket primary system where candidates from all parties compete on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of their political affiliations, will advance to the general election in November.
Feinstein, who was not only the oldest member of the Senate but also the longest-serving female senator and the longest-serving senator from California, had announced her intention to retire at the end of her term in 2024. However, calls for her resignation due to health concerns and demands for younger representation had mounted in recent years.
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