California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he will be appointing a caretaker to ailing Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) should she leave before her term is up.
Speaking to NBC, the governor said he will not be appointing Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) to replace Feinstein, indicating that he will have a caretaker instead.
“I don’t want to get involved in the primary,” Newsom said.
Since multiple Democrats have aimed for Feinstein’s seat, including Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), Newsom said that it would be unfair to appoint someone who would run for reelection.
“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,” Newsom said.
Barbara Boxer, Mayor Gavin Newsom, and Dianne Feinstein urge a renewal of the assault weapons ban in California. (Deanne Fitzmaurice/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Since Newsom said he would appoint a black woman to the seat, he essentially said he would abide by his past statements.
“We hope we never have to make this decision, but I abide by what I’ve said very publicly on a consistent basis. Yes,” he said.
As noted by Politico, Barbara Lee, a black woman some Democrats have been pushing for Newsom to appoint, actually “trails her Democratic opponents Porter and Schiff by double-digits in public and private polls.”
“Some of her supporters have held out the hope that — should it need to happen — Lee would be Newsom’s pick to serve out the remainder of Feinstein’s term. With that possibility seemingly dashed, Lee will face a steep climb given the others’ significant financial advantages,” noted the outlet.
Newsom said that because he has known Feinstein for decades, he would hate to have to appoint her seat, believing that Californians would not be up for it. The senator, aged 90, has been suffering serious health issues and her daughter reportedly now has power of attorney over her legal affairs.
“I’m the most subjective human being in the world on this topic. I have no objectivity whatsoever,” Newsom said of the senator. “I’ve known Dianne Feinstein since I was a kid. I interned with her in college. I still have a signed book from my days when she was mayor.”
“I don’t want to make another appointment, and I don’t think the people of California want me to make another appointment,” Newsom added. “I’ve made plenty of appointments.”
Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.