# Feinstein’s replacement speculation and breaking news thread {Laphonza Butler sworn in} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 29, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865 "2023-09-29T14:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/1 "2023-09-29T14:43:45Z")
Who do you think Newsome will choose? Who do you think he should choose? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/2 "2023-09-29T14:44:44Z")
Just to toss it out/in there, the LA Times recently did a story on this one: > **[Who will replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein? Meet the potential candidates](https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-02-14/california-senate-candidates-feinstein-porter-schiff-lee-khanna)** > > Sen. Dianne Feinstein is not seeking reelection. Here are the candidates and potential candidates running to replace her as a California senator. [wasn’t paywalled for me] ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/3 "2023-09-29T14:48:46Z")
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.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Solis) I don’t know enough about California politics to know who Newsom might favor, but Solis is my favorite Sunshine State pol. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/4 "2023-09-29T14:52:04Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/5 "2023-09-29T14:52:50Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > my favorite Sunshine State pol. Florida is the Sunshine State. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/6 "2023-09-29T14:55:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/7 "2023-09-29T14:57:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/8 "2023-09-29T15:07:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/9 "2023-09-29T15:09:19Z")
Maybe he got the idea from President Biden? > **[Biden vows to nominate Black woman to U.S. Supreme Court by end of February](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/retiring-us-justice-breyer-appear-with-biden-white-house-2022-01-27/)** > > President Joe Biden on Thursday said he plans by the end of February to nominate a Black woman to replace retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, a historic first that he called "long overdue." ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/10 "2023-09-29T15:09:47Z")
You’d think the Democrats would learn to stop doing that. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/11 "2023-09-29T15:10:44Z")
Arguably in Biden’s case, it was that promise that made him President. Newsom was just shooting his mouth off. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/12 "2023-09-29T15:12:45Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > 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 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. > [@](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/13 "2023-09-29T15:18:49Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/14 "2023-09-29T15:21:09Z")
Regarding something mentioned in the other thread: > [@Should Diane Feinstein resign from the senate? She has missed some 60+ of 80+ votes this year {2023-09-29 she passed away}](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-diane-feinstein-resign-from-the-senate-she-has-missed-some-60-of-80-votes-this-year-2023-09-29-she-passed-away/982629/331): > > They do not have the ability to block her full replacement from taking over her committee assignments. 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. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/15 "2023-09-29T15:28:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/16 "2023-09-29T15:30:16Z")
I’d like Lee to be a one full term Senator and then not make the same mistake. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/17 "2023-09-29T15:36:22Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > 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). 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 ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/18 "2023-09-29T15:39:07Z")
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. > **[Maxine Waters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxine_Waters)** > > Maxine Moore Waters (née Carr; born August 15, 1938) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991. The district, numbered as the 29th district from 1991 to 1993 and as the 35th district from 1993 to 2013, includes much of southern Los Angeles, as well as portions of Gardena, Inglewood and Torrance. > A member of the Democratic Party, Waters is in her 17th House term. She is the most senior of the 12 black women serving in ... ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/19 "2023-09-29T15:48:00Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865/20 "2023-09-29T15:48:45Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Republicans aren’t going to try any shenanigans when they’ll be quickly reversed anyway. Are you thinking of the same Republicans I’m thinking of? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feinstein-s-replacement-speculation-and-breaking-news-thread-laphonza-butler-sworn-in/990865.md?page=2)