A republic of toons
When Gavin Newsom chose Laphonza Butler to replace the Diane Feinstein as Senator for California he may have selected less as a person than a set of intersecting categories. He already pledged to name a black woman long before he knew who the individual was. Potential replacements mentioned included figures like Oprah Winfrey, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. Who was less important than what. When the decision was finally made the Office of the Governor of California tweeted: “Butler will make history as the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress”, not as herself but as a symbol.
In a way the primacy of symbolism simplified Newsom’s choice. He actually had fewer terms to consider in the where clause; not the myriad which define an individual but the two or three which specify a cartoon. Black. Woman. Lesbian.
Governor @GavinNewsom has selected Laphonza Butler to complete Senator Feinstein’s term.
A trusted adviser to @VP Harris and leader of the nation’s largest organization dedicated to electing women, Butler will make history as the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress. pic.twitter.com/NTPcK2Wtve
Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) October 2, 2023
Stereotypes are a tool for simplifying information. Their components of Newsom’s model were apparently race, gender and sexual preference. By considering only these variables the California governor could maximize whatever he intended, in this case probably the appeal of the nominee to the Democrat base. Insofar as Butler’s vote is concerned there was no risk; it will be whatever the party leadership says. Everybody votes as they are told. “Only one Democrat scored less than 90 percent on unity votes,” according to the Roll Call. “Votes that got significant bipartisan support, and therefore didn’t qualify as party unity votes, included both noncontroversial measures such as naming post offices after fallen veterans.
