What’s Happening:

The country woke up to the news that Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein passed. The 90-year-old senator had been suffering from a variety of ailments. She had intended to retire after her current term ended in 2025. Her ongoing struggles had prompted critics to call for term limits.

The loss of a Democrat senator puts the upper chamber in a precarious state. Democrats will have to fill that seat quickly, if they want to maintain their dominance.

By law, the governor of California will have the privilege of naming a replacement. Gavin Newsom has yet to make a decision. But names are already being floated.

From Fox News:
But he recently said that if he needed to name a Senate replacement, he would appoint a caretaker.

“Yes. Interim appointment. I don’t want to get involved in the primary,” Newsom said earlier this month in an NBC News interview. “It would be completely unfair to the Democrats that have worked their tail off. That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.”

Pundits are speculating over who Gavin Newsom will select to fill the seat left vacant by Feinstein’s passing. Currently, there are free Democrats running in the primaries for that seat. Those are Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee.

Some suspected Newsom would select Lee, because he had previously vowed to select a black woman for the seat. But given the close proximity to the primaries and then the general election, Newsom finds himself in a tough position.

If he selects one of the three Democrats currently running, it would look as if he was undermining the primary process. That candidate would instantly have incumbent status, dominating the election.

Instead, Newsom stated he wants to select an “interim” senator. Someone who would be a “caretaker” for the seat, until the election comes around. That could mean he will pick someone who will not run in 2024. That would eliminate Schiff, Porter, and Lee who are all running.

As it stands, Democrats need someone in that seat ASAP. Congress is scrambling to pass a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. One less Democrat in the Senate means the party has less pull when passing legislation. Not to mention other priorities Senate Democrats have.

We expect that Newsom will announce a replacement in a matter of days, if not sooner.

Key Takeaways:

• Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein passed away at the age of 90.
• Gavin Newsom will be tasked with selecting someone to fill her seat.
• Newsom claims he will pick a “caretaker” who will not run in 2024.

Source: Fox News