California Governor Gavin Newsom will appoint Emily’s List President Laphonza Butler to fill the remainder of Dianne Feinstein’s term, making her the only Black woman in the current US Senate and just the third in its history.

Feinstein, 90, died last week following months of poor health. Appointing Butler will allow Newsom to fulfill his pledge to select a Black woman to represent California after Kamala Harris became vice president in 2021, vacating her seat as junior senator.

The planned appointment, reported earlier by Politico and the Wall Street Journal, was confirmed by spokespeople for Newsom.

Butler is a longtime labor leader in California, including having served as president of SEIU Local 2015, the biggest union in the state.

As president of Emily’s List, she has worked to elect Democratic, pro-choice women to office. Butler has previously worked for prominent female leaders, including on Harris’s presidential campaign. She was also a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in California.

By appointing Butler, Newsom will avoid picking someone already in the running for Feinstein’s seat. Longtime Representative Barbara Lee, who is the highest-ranking Black woman appointed to Democratic leadership, is up against fellow Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, two of the House’s top fundraisers who have already amassed millions of dollars each for their bids.

Butler grew up in Magnolia, Mississippi, and attended Jackson State University. She lives in Maryland with her partner Neneki Lee and their daughter Nylah, according to her profile on Emily’s List’s website.

--With assistance from Karen Breslau and Shiyin Chen.

Author: Steven T. Dennis and Eliyahu Kamisher