D.After 30 years in the California Senate, 89-year-old Ian Feinstein has yet to announce his retirement. However, the battle for her successor, two years later, is already going through an uphill battle.
After months of shadow campaigning and whispering political leverage, whiteboard-wielding progressive Congresswoman Katie Porter became the first to officially declare her candidacy earlier this month. Barbara Lee, an old-school leftist with a staunch anti-war track record, reportedly told her colleagues that she was running for office. Anti-Trump liberal resistance icon Adam Schiff has reportedly begun preparing to run for office.
With California’s open primary system, the two Democrats could face off in the 2024 Senate election, and it’s highly likely. Until then, voters may have to prepare for her protracted and costly two-year campaign.
Wendy Shiller, a professor of political science at Brown University, says there is likely to be an “avalanche” of candidates.
Porter’s early announcement drew criticism that not only did it come before Feinstein announced his retirement, but it was amid a series of violent storms in California. Used the fundraising list to raise funds for flood victims.
But Porter’s proclamation was also lauded for publicly acknowledging the political intrigues many ambitious California legislators had hitherto devised in the dark. Concerns have been around for years, and quite a few candidates have been eyeing Feinstein’s seat for just as long.
“The sooner you walk out the door and start talking to donors and ramping up your support, the stronger you are,” said Schiller. Already had $8 million in his campaign war chest after defeating a Republican challenger in . Schiff has almost $21 million.
Meanwhile, Lee, a beloved Bay Area politician who has been in the House of Representatives since 1998, hasn’t had to raise much money so far. She has her reserves of just over $50,000. In Democratic-dominated states, the ultimate winner will come down to who has the most money. Are you trying to differentiate yourself?
“They won’t move on the very slightest policy difference,” Schiller said. “
A protégé of Senator Elizabeth Warren (and already endorsed by senators), Porter has built a reputation as a keen interrogator in congressional hearings. , would have trained her to persevere in politically-checked California.
Meanwhile, Schiff has become a household name after serving as the lead impeachment manager pursuing Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. While Schiff has drawn the ire of California’s criminal justice and immigrant rights advocates for his “tough on crime” record as a California legislator before being elected to Congress, he is more left-leaning. may be accepted as a more moderate and moderate alternative to competitor.
As the only member of the Senate to vote against allowing the use of military force in both houses of the Senate after 9/11, Ms. Lee can rely on her unwavering record of progress. Amy Allison, president and founder of See the People, an organization dedicated to increasing the political power of women of color, said, “I admire her for her courage, boldness, and principle. You can personally prove your stance.
In the Bay Area, which has historically been a political force in the state and has produced numerous governors and senators, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Feinstein, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Vice President Kamala Harris, Lee has strong support. and work with her to earn her integrity. As a member of Congress who pushed for the Black Panthers and limited defense spending, she enacted gun control measures, climate change laws, and protections for women’s rights.
Lee was the frontrunner when Newsom considered who to nominate for the Senate seat vacated by Harris. Now Allison and many other Californians want to see a black woman rise to the Senate. “Black women are the driving force behind so many Democratic victories at all levels across the country,” Allison said. That they are not represented in the Senate at all is “a farce,” she said.
Whether or not Khanna will run against Lee if he declares is still unknown.In recent years, Khanna, who has toured the United States and is in a position to run for either the Senate or the presidential election, has been an advocate of populism and silicon. He has established himself as a person who can bridge the big tech that dominates the valley.
Other potential candidates will become known soon. So far, Latino candidates are noticeably missing in states where her 40% of residents are Latinos. State Representative Alex Padilla is the first Latino senator elected from California.
Some politicians believe that Newsom himself could declare his candidacy.
Feinstein has not yet said he will retire. But since Porter announced, “We’re all focused on the 2024 Senate election. We can’t put that back in the box,” Allison said. “So people who are serious about running for the Senate have to start.”
