Laphonza Butler will not seek full term in Senate in 2024 – The Washington Post

“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,” Butler wrote in posts on X, formerly known as Twitter. “After considering those questions I’ve decided not to run for a full term in the US Senate.”

The former labor leader and Emily’s List president was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to serve the rest of Feinstein’s term after the longtime senator died last month. In doing so, Newsom kept his promise to pick a Black woman in case of an early vacancy, and Butler was sworn in Oct. 3 as just the third Black female senator in history.

Newsom had faced intense pressure to choose Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) if a vacancy occurred, because of the depth of her experience and the length of her service to California. But he said he did not want to interfere in the ongoing race among Lee and fellow Democratic Reps. Adam B. Schiff and Katie Porter for the full term.

Newsom stressed that he had not placed any restrictions on whether Butler could run for a full term, saying it was up to her. If she had decided to run, Butler would have joined the already crowded field that now includes former Major League Baseball player Steve Garvey, who announced earlier this month that he was launching a long-shot campaign for Senate as a Republican.

California holds a nonpartisan primary, in which all candidates are listed on the same primary ballot, regardless of party, and the top two finishers advance to the general election. Though Republicans have not won a Senate race in California in 35 years, a greater number of Democratic candidates could have split the vote and given Garvey a better chance at advancing.

“Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign,” Butler said Thursday. “I know this will be a surprise to many because traditionally we don’t see those who have power let it go. It may not be the decision people expected but it’s the right one for me.”

Butler said she would serve the remaining 383 days of her term “with every ounce of energy and effort that I have.”

When Butler was sworn in, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) noted that she was the first openly lesbian senator from California and the first openly LGBTQ senator of color.

“Today the Senate takes another step towards fully reflecting our vibrant democracy,” Schumer said then.

Maeve Reston and Annabelle Timsit contributed to this report.