Gov. Newsom Selects Laphonza Butler to Fill Feinstein's Vacant Senate Seat

Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides
Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides
Protect and strengthen democratic society today and for the future. Invest in AllSides

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!
See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?
Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

Invest in

Invest in

Invest in

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

What America Do We Want to Be?

Join Living Room Conversations, our civil dialogue partner, and America Indivisible for a nationwide conversation on April 13, Thomas Jefferson’s 276th birthday. "Reckoning with Jefferson: A Nationwide Conversation on Race, Religion, and the America We Want to Be" will be held via in-person and online video discussions. Sign up today!

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

Practical, engaging webinars designed to transform how you approach current events and facilitate productive classroom discussions.

The Art of Discussion - Civic Learning Week

Wednesday March 12, 2025 | 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Learn how to facilitate respectful dialogue across political and social divides using Mismatch, our platform for connecting students with diverse viewpoints.

Register for the webinar PD Benefits Page
 

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

See How AllSides Rates Other Media Outlets

We have rated the bias of nearly 600 outlets and writers!

See some of the most popular below:

Want to see more?

Check out the AllSides Media Bias Chart, or go to our Media Bias Ratings page to see everything.

 

 

 

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Support AllSides

Please consider becoming a sustaining member or making a one-time donation to help keep AllSides online.

Become a Sustaining Member

Make a one-time donation.

Laphonza Butler, a former adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris who is currently president of EMILY’s List, was chosen to fill Dianne Feinstein's vacant U.S. Senate seat in California.

The Details: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) announced his selection of Butler on Sunday. After working with Harris's vice presidential campaign, Butler became the head of EMILY's List in 2021, a pro-choice organization working to "recruit, train, and support Democratic pro-choice women running for office up and down the ballot."

Key Quotes: "Laphonza has spent her entire career fighting for women and girls and has been a fierce advocate for working people," Newsom said in his announcement. "She will make history -- becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in the U.S. Senate."

For Context: Newsom had promised that, if Feinstein's seat ever became vacant, he would select a black woman to replace her.

How the Media Covered It: Headlines from center- and right-rated sources were more likely to highlight Butler's previous work with Harris. Left-rated sources were more likely to highlight how Newsom fulfilled his promise of filling Feinstein's seat with a black woman. A Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) report focused on how Butler is registered to vote in Maryland, and how her biography on the EMILYs list website no longer displays her Maryland address after it had previously. Politico (Lean Left bias) said "Butler is registered to vote in Maryland but will switch her registration to California."

Topics
Publish
Publish
Region

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, elevating the head of a fundraising juggernaut that works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights, according to a person familiar with the decision.

Newsom is moving swiftly to name the next senator, two days after Feinstein’s death and just as a perilously split Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown. Senate Democrats are in need of every vote in the closely divided chamber.

Laphonza Butler, a former adviser to Vice President Harris who currently serves as president of EMILY’s List, was named to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat in California that was held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who died at the age of 90 on Friday. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) made the announcement late Sunday evening, after a weekend full of anticipation ahead of the decision. Newsom had pledged previously to select a Black woman to fill Feinstein’s seat, should it ever become open, and Butler’s appointment fills that pledge.

The appointment of Laphonza Butler to become California's newest senator is already raising some eyebrows as she appears to be registered to vote in Maryland with an address in that state.

Registration records indicate that Butler lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her mailing address the same as her residential. She registered as a Democrat as of Sept. 12, 2022.