WASHINGTON D.C. — A governor has announced his appointment to fill a vacancy following the death of a U.S. Senator late last week.
>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sen. Dianne Feinstein dies at 90
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he will appoint Laphonza Butler to fill the late Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat, CNN reported early this morning.
Butler has served as the president of EMILY’s List, which works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights, since 2021.
California will hold two Senate elections next November: a special election for the remaining months of Feinstein’s term until January 2025 and another for a full six-year term, according to CNN.
Feinstein passed away last week at the age of 90. She was the longest-serving female U.S. Senator in history.
She announced earlier this year that she did not plan to run for re-election in 2024.