California Sen. Dianne Feinstein died on Thursday aged 90, following months of intense concern about her health.
Veteran Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein died on Thursday aged 90, after serving in Congress for more than three decades.
The Californian’s death reduces the number of Democratic-aligned senators to 50, versus 49 Republicans. It comes at a crucial time, with a confrontation between House Republicans and the Biden administration on track to throw the government into a partial shutdown at the beginning of next month.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has the right to appoint a temporary stand-in for the vacant Senate seat, before a special election in 2024 that will determine who holds the seat until January 2025. This will take place in addition to the November general election, when Californians will decide who occupies the seat for six years, beginning in January 2025.
If Newsom appoints one of the main Democrat contenders for the seat to the Senate on an interim basis, then it could give them an incumbency advantage over internal party rivals.
The governor has previously promised to appoint a Black woman for the seat. Of the main contenders, only Rep. Barbara Lee, who was elected to the House by California’s 12th congressional district, fulfils this criteria. Alternatively, Newsom may chose to appoint someone on the condition that they don’t then run in the special election so there’s no incumbency advantage.
