Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not be running for reelection in 2024, she announced Tuesday, setting up what is already shaping up to be a competitive race in California in the next election cycle.
“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,” Feinstein, who at age 89 is the oldest sitting senator, said in a statement.
Two House Democrats—Orange County’s Katie Porter and San Gabriel Valley’s Adam Schiff—have already officially announced they are running for her seat, while several others, including Oakland’s Barbara Lee and Santa Clara’s Ro Khanna, are also rumored to be considering bids. Khanna told Vanity Fair he will make a decision by the second week of April.
California politicos highly anticipated Feinstein’s retirement. A spokesperson for Schiff told Vanity Fair‘s Abigail Tracy that the congressman, who announced his run in late January, wouldn’t have done so if “we didn’t feel like we had her blessing to do it.” Schiff also has Nancy Pelosi in his corner; the former House speaker said she would throw her weight behind the Donald Trump impeachment manager if Feinstein stepped aside. Meanwhile, Porter, the most prolific Democratic fundraiser in the House, has the backing of Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
The California Senate race has all the makings of a contentious and expensive contest, particularly given the state’s top-two primary system that allows Californians to vote for anyone regardless of party registration. Per Tracy:
