Newsom’s Senate Appointee Laphonza Butler Will Not Seek A Full Term In 2024

Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler of California will not seek election to a full Senate term in 2024, according to a statement she issued on Twitter, now known as X.

Butler was appointed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Oct. 1 to fill the vacancy created by the death of longtime Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, whose term would have expired in 2024. Butler’s decision to not seek election to a full term as an incumbent precludes her appointment from affecting polling among candidates currently in the race, which include Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff of California’s 30th District, Katie Porter of the 47th District and Barbara Lee of the 12th District, respectively.

“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. 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,” Butler wrote in her statement.

Newsom’s appointment of Butler, who did not hold elected office at the time and was the president of EMILY’s List, a left-wing group that seeks to help more Democratic women to attain public office, came as a surprise to many political commentators. She has been widely seen as a contender for the governorship of California in 2026’s election when Newsom will be constitutionally ineligible for a third term, a post for which Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis of California is already running.

Butler’s selection was in keeping with Newsom’s pledge to appoint a black woman to the seat, though he went back on another pledge that the appointee would have to pledge not to seek a full term, for which he was criticized by Lee, a black woman who is seeking the seat. Butler’s decision to not seek election appears to be a decision of her own volition.

In current polling for the state’s Senate race, Schiff leads Porter and Lee, as well as outranks them in fundraising.

Schiff, Porter and Lee’s campaigns did not immediately respond to a request for comment.