This is the last thing America needs.
At least four individuals are being considered for the potential appointment to serve out the remainder of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s term, representing the state of California. As reported by The New York Times on a recent Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat from California, is tasked with selecting a successor who will hold the position until the conclusion of 2024.
According to Newsmax, Governor Newsom had previously made a commitment to appoint a Black woman in the event the Senate seat became vacant. Notably, he expressed his intention not to choose any of the declared candidates for the position, which includes Representatives Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, and Adam Schiff. His reasoning was to prevent giving any of them an advantage in the Democratic primary race.
Several names have emerged in discussions about who might complete Senator Feinstein’s term. These include Holly Mitchell, a supervisor in Los Angeles County; Angela Glover Blackwell, a civil rights attorney based in Oakland and the founder of PolicyLink, a nonprofit organization focused on research and advocacy; and Shirley Weber, who serves as the California secretary of state, as reported by The New York Times. Additionally, there have been mentions of television personality Oprah Winfrey as a potential candidate, according to The Associated Press.
While it is unclear if Oprah Winfrey will actually get Feinstein’s seat, conservatives are already fuming over the idea.
Governor Newsom’s decision to prioritize the appointment of a Black woman is due to the absence of Black female representation in the Senate since Kamala Harris resigned to assume her role as vice president. However, his approach has faced criticism from individuals such as Representative Barbara Lee, who found his comments troubling and viewed the notion of appointing a Black woman solely to fulfill a quota as disrespectful to the countless Black women who have played pivotal roles in securing election victories for the Democratic Party.
Notably, Representative Adam Schiff had been a member of the House select committee responsible for investigating the events of January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.
The aftermath of Senator Feinstein’s passing leaves Senate Democrats with a narrow 50-49 majority in the chamber, according to the Associated Press. It remains uncertain whether additional candidates will join the race in response to this development.