There’s an empty seat in the U.S. Senate now that California’s longtime and senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, has died. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on social media that he has chosen former state labor leader and current Emily’s List president Laphonza Butler, whom he said would be “the first Black lesbian to openly serve in the U.S. Senate,” to the seat.
And, following the Sept. 22, 2023, federal indictment on bribery and other charges of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, numerous people, including some prominent Democratic lawmakers, have called for Menendez to resign. Even Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who would appoint a replacement for Menendez, has said the senator should step down.
