California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Sunday night that Democratic political strategist Laphonza Butler will be filling the Senate seat of the late Dianne Feinstein. Butler, a former adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris and the current president of the pro-abortion group Emily’s List, will become California’s first black lesbian senator—despite the fact that she technically resides in Maryland.
Following Feinstein’s death on Thursday night, Governor Newsom was tasked with appointing a temporary successor to hold her seat until the next statewide general election. Newsom had previously promised to appoint a Black woman to any Senate seat that became vacant.
“As we mourn the enormous loss of Sen. Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for—reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence—have never been under greater assault,” read a statement from Newsom issued late on Sunday. “Laphonza has spent her entire career fighting for women and girls and has been a fierce advocate for working people. She will make history—becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in the U.S. Senate.”
I'm proud to announce California's new United States Senator — Laphonza Butler.
As we mourn the enormous loss of Sen. Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for — reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence — have never been under greater assault.… pic.twitter.com/SOnbfVPmXj
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 2, 2023
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Laphonza Butler currently serves as the president of Emily’s List, a political organization that campaigns on behalf of pro-abortion female Democratic candidates. Butler previously worked as a campaign adviser for Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2020 presidential run and also led the Service Employees International Union, California’s largest labor organization.
Butler will serve out the remainder of Feinstein’s term until November 2024, at which point she will be able to join the field of other candidates already in the running for the seat. The other confirmed contenders include Congressional Representatives Adam Schiff, Kaite Porter, and Barbara Lee. Insider speculation also suggests that actress Meghan Markle, Dutchess of Sussex, might be considering a longshot run for the position after being eyed for Kamala Harris’ seat in 2020.
But ahead of Butler’s swearing-in, online reports have discovered various sources indicating that Butler does not actually live in California, but rather maintains a residence in Maryland. “FEC filings from EMILY’s List record Laphonza Butler’s residence as Silver Springs, Maryland as recently as 31 days ago,” said FEC analyst Rob Pyers.
FEC filings from EMILY's List record Laphonza Butler's residence as Silver Springs, Maryland as recently as 31 days ago. https://t.co/FjZkJ9Ugf0 pic.twitter.com/2FzA8MVqfU
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) October 2, 2023
Butler’s Maryland residence was also confirmed by voter registration filings from 2022, as well as her own X profile and her bio page on the Emily’s List website, which claims that she “lives in Maryland with her partner Neneki Lee and their daughter Nylah.” The location on X and the website bio have both been scrubbed since Butler’s appointment was announced.
Butler is expected to be sworn in later this week, securing Democratic control of the Senate. She has not yet released a public comment about her appointment or the confusion over her place of residence.
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