One of the most interesting elections of 2024 became official as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announced that she will not seek reelection.
Sen. Feinstein said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA:
I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends.
I campaigned in 2018 on several priorities for California and the nation: preventing and combating wildfires, mitigating the effects of record-setting drought, responding to the homelessness crisis, and ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care. Congress has enacted legislation on all of these topics over the past several years, but more needs to be done – and I will continue these efforts.
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I also remain focused on passing commonsense legislation to fight the epidemic of gun violence, preserving our pristine lands and promoting economic growth – especially to position California for what I believe will be the century of the Pacific. And I will use my seniority on the Appropriations Committee to ensure California gets its fair share of funding.
I’m confident we can achieve these goals because we’ve done it before. From the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban to the 2014 CIA torture report, from preserving Lake Tahoe and the Mojave Desert to passing the first significant global warming legislation, from protecting student athletes from abuse to protecting consumers from harmful chemicals, and more recently improving our efforts to combat wildfire and drought, we have improved the lives of millions.
Even with a divided Congress, we can still pass bills that will improve lives. Each of us was sent here to solve problems. That’s what I’ve done for the last 30 years, and that’s what I plan to do for the next two years. My thanks to the people of California for allowing me to serve them.
Because of California’s primary system where all candidates run against each other and the top two advance to the general election, it is almost a certainty that the top two finishers will be Democrats who will face off again in the general election.
Currently, Reps. Katie Porter and Adam Schiff are both declared candidates with at least two more House Republicans potentially joining the primary.
The California primary will be expensive, and the general election could cost even more. Feinstein’s retirement had been expected.
California’s US Senate seat has as close to a zero chance of flipping as can exist in American politics, but the contest among the Democrats will be one of the most closely watched in 2024.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
