Newsome Appoints Butler to US Senate

Following the death of California Senator Dianne Feinstein, Governor Gavin Newsome has appointed Laphonza R. Butler to fill her vacancy. Senator Butler joins the US Senate after a long career as a union organizer, political activist, and president of EMILY’s list. As Governor Newsome noted in announcing her appointment, “An advocate for women and girls, a second-generation fighter for working people, and a trusted adviser to Vice President Harris, Laphonza Butler represents the best of California, and she’ll represent us proudly in the United States Senate. As we mourn the enormous loss of Senator Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for — reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence — have never been under greater assault. Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington D.C.” Senator Butler has an extensive background across multiple fields, including president of SEIU Local 2015, California’s largest labor union that represents more than 325,000 nursing home and home-care workers throughout the state. Other career positions include: former director of the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles branch of the Federal Reserve System, board member for the National Children’s Defense Fund, BLACK PAC, and the Bay Area Economic Council Institute, and fellow for the MIT Community Innovators Lab. Butler will remain in the Senate as a temporary appointment until a special election is held in March 2024 to fill the remaining months of Senator Feinstein’s tenure.