Sen. Laphonza Butler of California, who was appointed earlier this month to replace the late Dianne Feinstein, announced Thursday that she will not seek a full Senate term next year.
“I’ve spent the past 16 days pursuing my clarity — what kind of life I want to have, what kind of service I want to offer and what kind of voice I want to bring forward,” Ms. Butler said in a statement. “After considering those questions I’ve decided not to run for Senate in the upcoming election. Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign.”
Ms. Butler was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in keeping with his pledge to fill a Senate vacancy with a Black female and not pick one of the current candidates for Senate.
Ms. Butler could have joined the Senate race that already has some high-profile Democratic candidates, including Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee.
Baseball legend Steve Garvey is running as a Republican.
“I have spent my entire life working on behalf of working men and women whether I was fighting to win more pay and protections for their labor, strengthen their communities or help them get elected,” Ms. Butler said. “I’ve always believed elected leaders should have real clarity about why they’re in office and what they want to do with the responsibility and power they have.”
“California voters want leaders who think about them and the issues they care most about,” she said. “I now have 383 days to serve the people of California with every ounce of energy and effort that I have. Muhammad Ali once said, ‘Don’t count the days, make the days count.’ I intend to do just that.”
The primary in California is March 5 and the general election is on Nov. 5, 2024.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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