California Sen. Laphonza Butler announced on Thursday that she will not campaign for the 2024 California Senate seat race, citing the difficulties of running a campaign in a statement. Her announcement comes less than three weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Butler on October 1 to the seat after Sen. Dianne Feinstein died at the age of 90 on September 29, according to NPR.
“I’ve spent the past 16 days pursuing my clarity — what kind of life I want to have, what kind of service I want to offer and what kind of voice I want to bring forward,” Butler said in the statement. “After considering those questions I’ve decided not to run for Senate in the upcoming election. Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign.”
In an interview with the New York Times, Butler also mentioned a desire to spend more time with her 9-year-old daughter and to maintain long-term career prospects.
“I know it’s surprising — folks don’t traditionally see people who have power let it go, but this is a moment where I’ve had to mind my own truth and hold it in my own heart,” Butler said in the interview.
After Vice President Kamala Harris, Butler is just the second Black female senator in California history and is the first openly LGBTQ+ senator of California, according to the New York Times.
With her intent to step down, the Senate race becomes more achievable for the numerous candidates in the contest. Some notable figures vying for the spot include current California Democratic Reps. Katie Porter, Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff, and former Los Angeles Dodgers star Steve Garvey, who is running as a Republican.
Schiff represents the 30th Congressional District in Los Angeles County and is building his campaign off significant vocal and financial support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to Politico. Schiff previously held the state Senate seat from 1996-2000.
Lee represents the 12th Congressional District in San Francisco County and has the backing of the Congressional Black Caucus, which asked Newsom to put Lee in Feinstein’s seat after her death, according to NBC.
Porter is in her third term representing the 47th Congressional District in Orange County and has gained widespread popularity for her anti-business rhetoric in congressional hearings against Big Pharma and other companies.
Garvey has not held a political office in his lifetime. He would be the first Republican senator from California since 1988 if he won, according to CNN.
In a Public Policy Institute of California survey in September, Schiff (20%), Katie Porter (15%), and Lee (8%) were the most popular candidates. Republican candidates and business owners James P. Bradley and Eric Early were close behind, polling at 5% each.
All candidates will take part in the Special Primary Election on March 5, 2024, and the top two candidates will participate in the General Election on November 5, 2024, according to the Federal Elections Commission.