Dianne Feinstein lays down timeline for Senate 2024 decision
Ryan King
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Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) punted her decision about running for reelection to “the coming months” amid speculation that she may retire.
At 89, Feinstein is both the oldest sitting senator and member of Congress. Already one heavyweight Democrat, Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), has jumped into the race, while a handful of others appear to be eyeing her seat with bated breath. Her apparent decision to punt could prompt other prospective contenders to expedite their timeline for entering the fray.
KATIE PORTER LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR 2024 SENATE
“Probably in a couple of months. My husband passed away not too long ago. And so I’m still going through that … want to get through it. He had cancer and this is always a hard death … I think I’ll just take some time,” she told reporters Wednesday.
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Feinstein’s husband, Richard Blum, died last February after a battle with cancer. Feinstein’s answer appeared to conflict with another reply she recently gave in which she seemingly indicated that a decision on whether to run would not be coming this year.
“I need a little bit of time, so it’s not this year,” Feinstein told Raw Story on Wednesday when asked about whether she would run.
A spokesperson later clarified that Feinstein was referring to when the election will take place, rather than the timeline for her announcement.
“Senator Feinstein was speaking about the timing of the election, not her announcement. As she told several news outlets yesterday, she still intends to announce her decision in the coming months,” a spokesperson for Feinstein told the Washington Examiner.
Earlier this month, Porter announced her 2024 Senate campaign, preempting other potential rivals, including Feinstein, who has served in the Senate since 2004. Feinstein welcomed the competition. In the face of potentially stiff competition, Feinstein insisted she wasn’t nervous.
“The more, the merrier,” she told Raw Story. “I’m a big girl. I’ve run in a lot of races, so I know.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced on Thursday that he also plans to run for Feinstein’s Senate seat in 2024.
Other big names reportedly eyeing the race include Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Barbara Lee (D-CA). Feinstein has already filed preliminary paperwork needed to vie for reelection. The other California Senate seat was filled by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace Vice President Kamala Harris before winning reelection.
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Questions about Feinstein’s age have loomed over her possible reelection bid, but Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), 89, notably ran for reelection during the midterm elections in 2022. He is roughly three months younger than her.
2024 is expected to be a brutal map for Senate Democrats. Twenty Democratic senators and three Democratic-aligned senators are up for reelection compared to 11 Republicans, meaning they will have to defend significantly more seats than the GOP. Democrats managed to gain a seat in Pennsylvania during the last midterm cycle.