U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein has not publicly stated if she is going to run for re-election in 2024. Speculation around the water cooler says she will not run and the seat will be open, which explains why so many candidates are already lining up to run.
The rumor mill is abuzz. The L.A. Times and Politico have added to the speculation. Some of the names mentioned around the water cooler include, in no particular order, Congresswoman Katie Porter, Congressman Adam Schiff, Congressman Ro Khanna, L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer, State Senator Anthony Portantino, and Assemblywoman Laura Friedman. None of these elected officials have filed to open a campaign committee for Senate with the Federal Election Commission. Yet.
Current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on the rumor mill’s list, but Calpeek doubts she would give up the second most powerful political position in the U.S. Government to become a junior U.S. Senator. There have been some Republican candidates mentioned, but it’s hard to imagine a Republican winning statewide in California these days.
If the rumor mill has provided you with other potential candidates, please contact Calpeek so we can include them on our list.
If Feinstein’s seat were to become vacant prior to the 2024 election, Governor Gavin Newsom would appoint someone to fill the vacancy. He would likely appoint Congresswoman Barbara Lee who was rumored to be the runner up when he appointed then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla in 2021 to fill the vacancy, left when then-Senator Kamala Harris became Vice President.
Barbara Lee is the conscience of America. She’s too good to get elected on her own so it would be in the public interest for Gov. Newsom to appoint her to the U.S. Senate. That would really make me proud to be a Californian and an American!