Sen. Laphonza Butler, a California Democrat, announced Thursday that she will not run in 2024 for a full, six-year term in the U.S. Senate. The New York Times was the first to report news of the announcement.
HuffPost reached out to a spokesperson for Butler for more details but did not immediately receive a response.
In a thread on the social media app X, Butler said she had “spent the past 16 days pursuing my own clarity ― what kind of life I want to have, what kind of service I want to offer and what kind of voice I want to bring forward.”
“After considering those questions I’ve decided not to run for a full term in the US Senate,” she wrote. “Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign.”
Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Butler, the former president of the pro-choice group EMILY’s List, to serve the remainder of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s term in the Senate. Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history, died on Sept. 29 at the age of 90.
Newsom had promised to name a Black woman to Feinstein’s seat if it ever became vacant. Selecting Butler delivered on that promise. Butler, who is lesbian, was also the first Black, openly LGBTQ+ person to serve in the Senate from any state.
In a September interview prior to Feinstein’s death, Newsom affirmed that he would not appoint any of the candidates already running for her seat, or even someone else interested in running for a full term in 2024.
“It would be completely unfair to the Democrats that have worked their tail off,” he said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” “That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.”
Several prominent Democrats, including U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff, had entered the race to succeed Feinstein months before her death.
Following Feinstein’s death, Lee, who is Black, and her supporters called for Newsom to pick her.
Newsom selected Butler instead, and Butler initially did not rule out the possibility of seeking a full term. Her decision not to do so likely comes as a relief to Lee, given the possibility of dividing the state’s modest Black electorate between multiple Black candidates.
California’s 2024 primary is slated to occur on March 5. The state has a top-two, nonpartisan primary system, raising the possibility that two Democrats could be on the ballot for U.S. Senate in the general election.
A September poll had Schiff leading the field with 20% support from likely voters, Porter with 17%, Lee with 7% and tech executive Lexie Reese with 1%. The Republican candidates James Bradley, a health care tech executive, and Eric Early, an attorney, received 10% and 7%, respectively.
Former Major League Baseball MVP Steve Garvey, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, announced his run for the Senate seat as a Republican earlier this month.
Igor Bobic contributed reporting.