U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), a trailblazer in American politics, passed away Friday, Sept. 29 at the age of 90. Reactions have been pouring in from federal, state, and local leaders.
Feinstein spent 31 years in the U.S. Senate and was the oldest sitting U.S. senator when she died. Joe Biden called her a role model and “a powerful voice for American values.”
“There is simply nobody who possessed the strength, gravitas, and fierceness of Dianne Feinstein,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Jennifer and I are deeply saddened by her passing, and we will mourn with her family in this difficult time.”
Feinstein’s career began at the local level, with her election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969. Feinstein was the first woman ever elected to the board and later became the first female board president.
In 1978, while serving as the board president, Feinstein was tasked with announcing the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk at the hands of former county supervisor Dan White. The tragedy elevated her public presence. She was lauded for her calm and steady hand during one of the city’s darkest moments.
Feinstein succeeded Moscone as mayor after his death, becoming the first woman to hold that office. As mayor, she was credited with bringing the Democratic National Convention to San Francisco. In 1987, after surviving a recall attempt, City & State magazine named her the nation's "Most Effective Mayor.”
In 1992, Feinstein would score another historic first when she and Barbara Boxer became the first females elected to represent California in the U.S. Senate. 1992 would be dubbed “the year of the woman” in large part because of their incredible strides.
As a Senator, Feinstein championed gun reform and women’s reproductive rights. Her most notable piece of legislation was the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004.
On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler to Feinstein’s seat. The pick came as a complete surprise to political observers.
Butler, who previously headed the SIEU and acts as a senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris, will complete Feinstein’s term, which runs through 2024. She will be California’s first openly LGBTQ U.S. Senator and the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress.