California Senator Dianne Feinstein is reported to have been in serious health problems for many years. She could soon resign or withdraw from the race for 2024.
Many important players have been searching for opportunities to run for the 2024 California Senate seat. Politico reported the story in late 2022, as speculation started about Feinstein’s future.
Reps. Ro Khanna and Katie Porter are fielding entreaties to jump into the race, and Rep. Adam Schiff has publicly declared he is exploring a run. Rep. Barbara Lee is spending the holidays mulling her next move. Three hopefuls have contacted former Sen. Barbara Boxer to seek her advice, marking the incipient stages of a fierce fight between California Democrats for a seat that has not been open for a generation.
Feinstein’s plans remain a wildcard. The 89-year-old senator’s standing has eroded as California Democrats sour on her centrism and the San Francisco Chronicle detailed her perceived cognitive decline in an explosive piece this spring that bolstered previous reporting by POLITICO about Feinstein’s capacity to serve.
Rep. Adam Schiff was among the few to openly discuss the possibility of running. Rep. Katie Porter, however, announced today her intention to run in the race. This is likely to prove to be very competitive and costly.
California needs a warrior in the Senate—to stand up to special interests, fight the dangerous imbalance in our economy, and hold so-called leaders like Mitch McConnell accountable for rigging our democracy.
Today, I’m proud to announce my candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2024. pic.twitter.com/X1CSE8T12B
— Katie Porter (@katieporteroc) January 10, 2023
Feinstein, who is still in the seat, has not yet made a decision about whether she will run. Porter, who was just reelected to the House, doesn’t think it matters. She wants to move to Senate because it is safer.
Porter is a talented fundraiser who is loved by progressives. Porter has a history of being abusive to staff members and even racism.
Probably.
Kevin McCarthy claims that she will be challenged by Schiff’s party, who won’t serve on any House committees. But, Senator Bernie Sanders’ progressive allies encourage Ro Khanna (the far-left progressive wing) to run. They plan to export their House members to the Senate to support Sanders (who is, however, not in his spring span>
We will be following the race for Senate in California closely. It will be a very interesting race.