(FiveNation.com)- With Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein pushing 90, many California Democrats aren’t waiting for her retirement to start making plans to run for her seat in 2024.
So far, Congressman Ro Khanna and Congresswoman Katie Porter have both been fielding requests from state Democrats eager to have them jump into the race.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, whom Governor Newsom vetted as Kamala Harris’ replacement after she became vice president, has also said she is considering it.
Even the odious Adam Schiff has publicly said he’s thinking of running, recently telling a Los Angeles news outlet that he would “consider running” if Feinstein retires.
According to former Senator Barbara Boxer, some Democrat Senate hopefuls have contacted her for advice, leading her to suspect that when Feinstein retires, the race to replace her will be crowded.
Feinstein’s advancing age and her supposed “centrist” positions have caused California Democrats to sour on their longtime Senator. Last spring, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a hit piece detailing the 89-year-old Feinstein’s lapses in memory and cognitive decline.
For her part, Congresswoman Porter is “absolutely considering” running for the Senate in 2024, according to a close advisor.
Meanwhile, prominent progressives have been urging Congressman Khanna to run.
However, crowded the field might be, it is unlikely the California Senate race will feature a Republican candidate in the 2024 general election.
Under California’s primary system, all candidates from every party run in one primary, with the top two vote-getters facing off in the general election. In 2016, the top two vote-getters for the Senate race were both Democrats: Kamala Harris and then-Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.
Of course, all of this depends on California Democrats convincing Dianne Feinstein to retire.
In 2018, the senile Feinstein rebuffed calls for her to step aside. But a lot can change in six years. Even if Feinstein inexplicably decides to seek reelection, she will likely face a crowded field of Democrat challengers in the primary.
