LOS ANGELES (AP) – U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s ongoing medical struggles have raised a delicate political question without an easy answer: Who would California Gov. Gavin Newsom pick to replace her if the seat becomes vacant?
Despite calls from her own party to step down, Feinstein, who turns 90 next month and is the oldest member of Congress, has given no indication that she is considering stepping down. His frail appearance, muddled interactions with Washington reporters and the growing list of health challenges disclosed by his office continue to raise questions about his fitness for work, now and in the future.
Should a vacancy occur, a number of names, from the obscure to the famous, including Oprah Winfrey, have been floated in California circles as potential replacements. Newsom, who has been mentioned as a possible future presidential candidate, would also have to deal with political complexities, some of her own making: She has promised to nominate a black woman in 2021 if Feinstein’s seat opens up. Meanwhile, a 2024 Senate campaign is underway to fill the seat when the senator’s term ends in January 2025.
The situation has created a sad public coda to the groundbreaking career of a Democratic leader who broke down gender barriers in California and Washington.
Here’s a look at what could happen:
WHAT IS FEINSTEIN’S HEALTH STATUS?
In short, much is unknown.
Feinstein returned to the Senate on May 10, about 10 weeks after being diagnosed, and then briefly hospitalized, with shingles in San Francisco. When she returned to the Capitol, she was noticeably thinner and one side of her face was drooping, apparently from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which can occur when the shingles virus reaches a facial nerve near the ears. It can also cause hearing loss.
On the advice of doctors, Feinstein’s staff say they are working a lighter schedule as they deal with the side effects of the virus, including vision and balance problems. He has been using a wheelchair to get to his office and committee meetings.
In recent years, questions have been raised about Feinstein’s memory and mental acuity, although she has defended her effectiveness. Since her return to Washington, she has appeared confused at times during brief discussions with reporters. His office also revealed that he suffered a bout of encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, which can also be caused by shingles.
Feinstein biographer Jerry Roberts told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that the senator has “a belief in herself to the point of stubbornness, where no one is going to tell her what she can or can’t do. She has a belief and a tremendous confidence in his own strength and in his own ability.”
NEWSOM’S PROMISE: ELEVATE A BLACK WOMAN TO THE SENATE
When California Sen. Kamala Harris resigned to become vice president, Newsom faced pressure from black, Latino and other groups to pick a replacement. Some thought he should replace Harris, the only black woman in the U.S. Senate, with another black woman. But others thought it was about time California got its first Latino senator, and Newsom chose then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla for the job.
But he later vowed that if Feinstein’s seat became vacant, he would pick a black woman to replace her. Should Feinstein step aside, she is expected to follow through on the promise.
“He made the commitment, and I don’t think there’s any wiggle room for the governor to renege on his commitment,” said Kerman Maddox, a Los Angeles-based Democratic strategist and fundraiser who is black.
“Newsom needs to make good on his promise to appoint a black woman” if Feinstein resigns, said Democratic Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, who heads the Legislative Black Caucus in Sacramento. “I take him at his word. We currently have no black women in the Senate, so if the opportunity arises, the governor must act to help address this lack of representation.”
Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney noted that any presidential ambitions Newsom might harbor would be hurt if he backtracked on his promise to nominate a black woman, noting that the candidate favored by black voters has won the nomination Democratic Party presidential candidate for every cycle since 1992.
“The last thing you want to do if you’re thinking about running for president is to alienate the candidate wing of the Democratic Party,” Pitney said.
WHICH SIDE SHOULD YOU GET: CAREGIVER OR CONTENDER?
By filling a Senate vacancy, Newsom has the authority to appoint a successor. He might even choose himself, although that is unlikely. State rules dictate when elections should be held.
All of Newsom’s picks are at risk.
He could become embroiled in the ongoing Senate campaign and choose one of the declared candidates to fill a Feinstein vacancy.
Another option would be to select a running mate and let voters decide in next year’s election, someone who would fill the seat but is not a Senate candidate. That’s where names like Winfrey come in: a celebrity who is black and lives up to Newsom’s nominating commitment. However, Newsom can also find it difficult to land someone willing to take a short-term date.
If he chose one of the declared Senate candidates, Newsom would unsettle the growing field and elevate that person to front-runner status. U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, who is black, is already running against fellow Democratic representatives Katie Porter and Adam Schiff, who are both white.
Lee “is far and away the most qualified African-American woman to replace Senator Feinstein if there is a vacancy,” Maddox said.
In a recent interview with Fox 11 TV in Los Angeles, Newsom said he was getting recommendations on how to fill a possible Senate vacancy. He calls Feinstein a mentor and one of his closest friends, and said he hopes he never has to make a decision to take her seat.
Noting that the primary was fast approaching in March, he added that he was sensitive to criticism that voters should choose their elected officials, and hinted that he could choose an incumbent to fill the seat, if that happens. .
“I get it. For those who are saying, “Enough of Newsom making this election!” I get it. I’m with you. I get it,” he said.
