California Governor will place Black woman in the senate if Dianne Feinstein retires

By Teddy Grant Published: March 16, 2021

California Governor will place Black woman in the senate if Dianne Feinstein retires

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom outlines his 2021-2022 state budget proposal during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. About a year after the state's first coronavirus case, Newsom has gone from a governor widely hailed for his swift response to a leader facing criticism from all angles. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File)

By: Teddy Grant

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, said that if Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein retires, he would replace her with a Black woman.

The Reid Out’s Joy Reid asked the governor if he would “nominate an African American woman to restore the seat that Kamala Harris is no longer in the United States Senate? And do you have a name in mind?

“We have multiple names in mind and the answer is yes,” Newsom said.

.@joyannreid: "If Dianne Feinstein were to retire, will you nominate an African American woman to restore the seat that Kamala Harris is no longer in the Senate? And do you have a name in mind?"@gavinnewsom: "We have multiple names in mind, the answer is yes."#TheReidOut pic.twitter.com/SrQ5iGKeNM

— The ReidOut (@thereidout) March 15, 2021

The Senate currently has no Black women serving in its chambers, a void created once Kamala Harris left the position to become vice president, becoming the first female VP in the country’s history.

Newsom filled Harris’ seat with Sen. Alex Padilla, making him the state’s first Latino senator.

It’s unclear who Newsom has in mind to fill the position, but Representative Karen Bass, Representative Barbara Lee and San Francisco Mayor London Breed are possible candidates, according to HuffPost.

Feinstein, 87, has not indicated that she plans to retire, but there have been calls for her to step down due to her age, per HuffPost. Her current term ends in 2025.