politics @lemmy.world return2ozma @lemmy.world 1 yr. ago

California governor to name Laphonza Butler, former Kamala Harris adviser, to Feinstein Senate seat

apnews.com California governor to name Laphonza Butler, former Kamala Harris adviser, to Feinstein Senate seat

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will name Laphonza Butler, a Democratic strategist and adviser to Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign, to fill the vacant U.S.

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Butler will be the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate, and the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the chamber.

The long-serving Democratic senator died last Thursday after a series of illnesses. Butler leads Emily’s List, a political organization that supports Democratic women candidates who favor abortion rights. She also is a former labor leader with SEIU 2015, a powerful force in California politics.

She seems like a good appointee, but honestly I’m just glad to have two functioning senators in my state now.
- Yeah, let's get back to appointing judges ASAP.
- 2nd quote speaks to experience, but the first is irrelevant. Sexuality, gender, and race have nothing to do with competency.
- She seems like a good appointee
  
  Hard to tell, but she does meet the only two qualifications that Newsom thought were important enough to mention.
  
  She led the largest unions in California and ran Kamala Harris' campaign. Those aren't nothing.
  
  Permanently Deleted
I understand why Lee is so incensed that Newsom isn't putting her in the seat (which would basically guarantee her winning in 2024), but honestly why is she running for a six year Senate term in her late seventies?
- She wants to be the next Diane Feinstein.
  
  Nancy’s running for re-election as well. These old fogies just won’t step down.
  
  Major props to Mitt for enjoying the later years of his life.
- Because these people are addicted to power
  
  It can also be simple egotistical narcissism, not that that's any better.
- I did not know she was in her 70s 😳
  
  Yeah see that's why I think ages of candidates should be listed on the ballot.
- The irony is that it very well could have been a disadvantage for her to get picked. The incumbent advantage isn't really a thing for people appointed to the seat, and she'd be stuck doing Senate things for the next year instead of campaigning.
- You "understand" why Barbara Lee is incensed the Governor of California isn't picking one of three candidates running for a Senate seat in 2024 to assume that seat immediately, and then run as an incumbent? hahahahahaha what
  
  I understand but don't agree with it.
  
  She wants the seat without having to win an actual election. What power hungry person wouldn't?
But TMZ said it would be Meghan Markle!

😂
- I legit saw UK folks losing their damn minds on Mastodon at the very idea, which spawned out of nowhere on the Daily Mail because they heard Newsom wanted to appoint a Black woman, and she’s apparently the only one they could think of 🤣
It's insane that a terrible candidate had to literally die of age for this to happen.
I'm not voting for anyone over 50 at this point
- I tend to agree. But I will absolutely vote for Joe Biden if he's the Democratic candidate for President. Not voting will just help Trump and the Republicans.
- If you don't vote for Biden, you are straight fucking trash, man
  
  Oof, yes. I really don't like Biden, but yes. You aren't wrong.
  
  If you live in a deep red state, all the electoral votes are going to Trump anyway. Vote for who you want as long as it’s not Trump.
  
  Voter shaming isn't it chief. There's 100 million that didn't vote last time. Voter apathy is off the charts.
- I tend to agree. But I will absolutely vote for Joe Biden if he's the Democratic candidate for President.
- I'm not voting for anyone new over 50 at this point
This is the best summary I could come up with:

Gavin Newsom will name Laphonza Butler, a Democratic strategist and adviser to Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a spokesman in his office said Sunday.

Butler leads Emily’s List, a political organization that supports Democratic women candidates who favor abortion rights.

A quick appointment by Newsom will give the Democratic caucus more wiggle room on close votes, including nominations that Republicans uniformly oppose.

Emily’s List, the group Butler leads, focuses on electing Democratic women who support abortion rights.

It was one of a string of appointments Newsom made in late 2020 and early 2021, a power that gave him kingmaker status among the state’s ambitious Democrats.

Democrats in the liberal-leaning state have not lost a statewide election since 2006, and the party holds a nearly 2-to-1 voter registration advantage over Republicans.

The original article contains 576 words, the summary contains 143 words. Saved 75%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Count on Newsom to appoint the "former" labor leader - i.e. union-busting consultant over long-serving, popular Barbara Lee.
Ayyyyy

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