California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler, president of the political action committee EMILY’s list, on Sunday to fill the late Dianne Feinstein’s seat in the U.S. Senate.
Butler will serve as California’s first openly LGBTQ+ senator and the first Black lesbian in U.S. congressional history until Feinstein’s term ends in 2024.
Butler posted her reaction on X, formerly Twitter, Monday
I'm honored to accept Gov. @GavinNewsom's nomination to be U.S. Senator for a state I have made my home and honored by his trust in me to serve the people of California and this great nation. 🧵
— Laphonza Butler (@LaphonzaB) October 2, 2023
In her post, Butler paid tribute to Feinstein, who died Friday at 90, promising to continue her predecessor’s work on progressive policies.
“No one will ever measure up to the legacy of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, but I will do my best to honor her legacy and leadership by committing to work for women and girls, workers and unions, struggling parents, and all of California,” Butler wrote.
The Mississippi native has never held a spot in elected office but has a wide range of political experience.
As the current president of EMILY’s List, Butler has worked towards getting more Democratic, pro-choice women elected to office nationwide. Gov. Newsom’s office called EMILY’s List, “the nation’s largest organization dedicated to electing women,” in a letter announcing Butler’s appointment Sunday.
“An advocate for women and girls, a second-generation fighter for working people, and a trusted adviser to Vice President [Kamala] Harris, Laphonza Butler represents the best of California, and she’ll represent us proudly in the United States Senate,” Newsom said in the letter.
Butler worked alongside Vice President Harris as an adviser on Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign. Now, she follows in Harris’ footsteps as just the second Black woman to represent California in the U.S. Senate.
Prior to her recent Senate appointment, Butler also spent time as a partner at the political consulting firm Bearstar Strategies. The firm is run by Ace Smith, Sean Clegg, and Juan Rodriguez, longtime strategists for Newsom. The firm’s website notes that it “served as general and media consultant for Gavin Newsom’s winning campaign for Governor.”
Butler’s appointment brings full circle a promise that Gov. Newsom made during a 2021 MSNBC interview to nominate a Black woman to replace Feinstein had she left office before her term officially ended.
Newsom, after being asked by MSNBC host Joy Reid whether he’d commit to naming a Black woman to the Senate if Feinstein stepped down, said, “I have multiple names in mind. We have multiple names in mind… and the answer is yes.”
Butler was not the only Black woman believed to be in contention to fill Feinstein’s seat. Barbara Lee, a Democrat Rep. from California’s 12th congressional district, has been campaigning for Feinstein’s seat since the late Senator announced in February that she would not run for reelection in 2024.
Lee, along with fellow Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, made up a trio of candidates considered the front runners for the position by publications like CNN and ABC.
However, Newsom said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in September that he would not appoint anyone running in the Senate primary to fill the vacant seat.
Newsom instead said that he planned on making an “interim appointment” as he did not want to “tip the balance” of the Senate race. Despite this, Newsom’s office has said that Butler will be able to run in 2024 should she want to.
Butler lived in California between 2009 and 2021 but has lived and been registered to vote in Maryland since.
Kamy Akhavan, executive director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, told Annenberg Media that while people have criticized Newsom’s appointment of an out-of-state candidate, he believes the choice still makes sense despite Butler’s location.
Kamy Akhavan: “His calculation was, by picking [Butler], not only is he not influencing the current Senate race, but he’s picking someone who he thinks is a loyal progressive with deep connections that he’s known and trusted for a long time, who will do a great job in the role, even though she lives in Maryland.”
Akhavan also said that Butler’s connections to and work with California politicians such as Newsom and Harris, as well as her ability to fundraise and uphold progressive policies were likely things that Newsom saw as an advantage.
Akhavan wasn’t sure how much of an advantage Butler will have if she chooses to run for the Senate seat in 2024, but he did say that she is in the rare position of being a senator without previously holding elected office, which may work in her favor.
Akhavan: “Typically, [senators will] work their way up through city councils or school boards and local government until maybe they end up in their state assemblies and state legislatures. Maybe they make it to Congress and then make the leap to the Senate. To go straight to the Senate? That’s a pretty golden path.”
As Butler will be serving in an entirely new role in a state she hasn’t lived in for a few years, Akhavan said that she is likely to employ some strategies to win over her constituents that rely on emphasizing her connections to the state.
Akhavan: “She is going to play up her California credentials as much as you possibly can,” he said. “‘I used to live in this place. I love Disneyland. Boy, isn’t the beach great?’ Expect to hear those kinds of statements from her to really connect with Californians and prove to us that she’s one of us.”
Akhavan also said to expect Butler to continue aligning with California’s “deep blue” ideals by pushing progressive policies that she has already been working with.
Butler will be sworn in Tuesday by Vice President Harris at the U.S. Capitol.