California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday on "Meet the Press" that he'd follow through on an earlier pledge to appoint a black woman to fill any Senate vacancies, should Sen. Dianne Feinstein step down early. But no candidate currently running for her seat would be chosen, he said, prompting criticism from Rep. Barbara Lee, the only black woman in the race.
“I don’t want to get involved in the primary,” Newsom said. “It would be completely unfair to the Democrats [who] have worked their tails off. That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.”
Here's longer clip from #GavinNewsom's Meet the Press interview for more context.
— Leia🌻 (@TheSWPrincess) September 12, 2023
Newsom called it an "interim appointment", and was clear he wouldn't appoint any of the candidates running for Feinstein's seat, because it would give that candidate an advantage in the primaries.… https://t.co/0qpj6amK1a pic.twitter.com/LKdBpQL87w
Lee said she was “troubled” by his remarks, however.
“The idea that a Black woman should be appointed only as a caretaker to simply check a box is insulting to countless Black women across this country who have carried the Democratic Party to victory election after election,” she said in a statement.
“There are currently no Black women serving in the Senate,” she added. “Since 1789, there have only been two Black woman Senators, who have served a total of 10 years. The perspective of Black women in the U.S. Senate is sorely needed — and needed for more than a few months. Governor Newsom knows this, which is why he made the pledge in the first place.”
Barbara Lee is not pleased with Gov. Newsom’s comments on Meet the Press this AM, in which he said, if he had to appoint Dianne Feinstein’s replacement, it would not be any of the CA U.S. Senate candidates running, but would choose a black woman… pic.twitter.com/m03l2y9wSY
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) September 11, 2023
.@RepBarbaraLee on Newsom’s comments on CA Senate:
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) September 12, 2023
“Appointing, quite frankly, someone to hold a seat just until an election is conducted with the commitment not to run for the election is truly insulting. An African American woman, if appointed, should be able to make a decision… pic.twitter.com/usKPIhyj4D
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, agreed.
“The CBC stands with many others when we declare that Rep. Barbara Lee remains the most eminently qualified to serve in this role should an opportunity to appoint someone come to the Governor’s desk,” Horsford said in a statement. “His commitment to appoint the best-qualified Black woman in California to serve in the U.S. Senate shouldn’t be to a temporary placeholder, but instead, someone who can immediately get to work.”
An advisor to Newsom dismissed the criticism from Lee and her allies, pointing out the scenario is “a hypothetical on top of a hypothetical.”
“There is no vacancy for any U.S. Senate seat, nor does the Governor anticipate there will be one,” Anthony York said in a statement, reports The Washington Post. “Voters will have their say on who should replace Senator Feinstein when they go to the polls less than 6 months from now.”
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