Feinstein’s replacement speculation and breaking news thread {Laphonza Butler sworn in}

Who do you think Newsome will choose? Who do you think he should choose?

Just to toss it out/in there, the LA Times recently did a story on this one:

[wasn’t paywalled for me]

I think it’ll be a woman. Possibly a woman of color, although I’m less sure of that than I am that it’ll be a woman.

I’m gonna throw out a wildcard: Hilda Solis.

I don’t know enough about California politics to know who Newsom might favor, but Solis is my favorite Sunshine State pol.

I don’t know much about her, but I’ll say it’ll be current California lieutenant governor Eleni Kounalakis. She’s running for Governor in 2026, leaving the current 2026 senate race at its status quo. (Assuming she doesn’t pivot to running for senate instead.) I tend to favor appointments that leave the primary race wide open, rather than making it a de facto endorsement.

Florida is the Sunshine State.

Newsom has committed that he will appoint a Black woman to the seat. He later said his appointment would be a “placeholder” and not someone who would be interested in running for the seat in 2024. Understandably, that pissed off Rep. Barbara Lee who is Black and is running for the seat.

Well, I agree with the idea that he should appoint a placeholder so as not to unduly influence the coming election. And not the least because I happen to meet the requirements, in that I am a resident of California and in the job market. A temporary role would suit me fine.

Lee’s position was that promising to appoint a Black woman to the Senate, and then stating that he would only do so on the condition that she not run for a full term, was insulting. I tend to agree with her, but I also think Newsom never should have promised to appoint someone based on their race/gender in the first place.

But in the spirit of the thread, if I had to predict who he will name – California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber.

Maybe he got the idea from President Biden?

You’d think the Democrats would learn to stop doing that.

Arguably in Biden’s case, it was that promise that made him President. Newsom was just shooting his mouth off.

I could see making a distinction between the commitment to appointing a black woman for a meaningful portion of a term and making a placeholder appointment for a smaller fraction of a term. Don’t know if that’s the reasoning he’s provided.

Yeah, why make such a limiting commitment that far in advance? I like the principles that underlie the statement, but it was a dumb thing to do that far ahead of knowing any specifics of the situation.

Barbara Lee is 77 years old. I know some of you think it’s inappropriate to hold age against a candidate, but for me, anything in that range and older is unacceptable. I have nothing else against her, but personally I would strongly prefer someone in the 40 to 65 age group.

Regarding something mentioned in the other thread:

The new junior Senator from California would NOT have to be Feinstein’s replacement on the committees. That’s why there is a concern, since it would have to be a whole new vote on who does (as well as on what committees does the replacement sit).

And yeah, Newsom should have kept to himself.

It hasn’t been mentioned that there will be a special election after the replacement is named since there are more than 148 days before the actual election.

In 2024, California will have a special election primary, a special election, a regular primary and a regular election.

I’d like Lee to be a one full term Senator and then not make the same mistake.

Yes, I was mistaken about this. It does require a new resolution to be adopted by the Senate, even if the replacement Senator is assuming the committee assignments of his or her predecessor. Such a resolution could be filibustered, although it has always been adopted by unanimous consent in the past. The last Senator to be appointed on his predecessor’s death – Jon Kyl replacing John McCain – had his committee assignments confirmed by the Senate the day he was sworn in.

The Republican argument against the previous attempt to replace Feinstein on committees was that it was unprecedented to allow for the temporary replacement of a Senator on committees. Rejiggering committee assignments in the wake of a death and replacement is well precedented, but I need to learn to stop underestimating the depths that Republicans will stoop to.

I have a hard time believing the Republicans would filibuster a resolution to appoint the new

Word on the street is Maxine Waters, long-serving U.S. Representative from L.A. Her district is safely Democratic. She is a black woman and would fill the role as a caretaker until a replacement is elected. A great endcap to a distinguished career.

As for timing of a replacement, if her family follows Jewish custom, she’ll be buried very quickly.

Politically, it’s stupid to announce her replacement before the funeral services have been completed. Republicans aren’t going to try any shenanigans when they’ll be quickly reversed anyway.

I expect her replacement announced on Monday and sworn in the same day.

Are you thinking of the same Republicans I’m thinking of?