Dianne Feinstein Announces She Won’t Seek Reelection in 2024
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein announced Tuesday that she will retire at the end of her term.
“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024, but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein said in her announcement.
At 89, Feinstein is the oldest senator. She has represented California in the Senate since 1992, and is the longest-serving woman senator in U.S. history. Before she was elected to the Senate, Feinstein was the mayor of San Francisco and made an unsuccessful bid for California governor.
She said she plans to spend the rest of her term working on a few legislative projects for her state.
“I campaigned in 2018 on several priorities for California and the nation: preventing and combating wildfires, mitigating the effects of record-setting drought, responding to the homelessness crisis and ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare,” she said in her statement.
Feinstein has faced scrutiny in recent years about memory issues and possible mental decline. Jane Mayer of The New Yorker wrote in December 2020 that, “Many others familiar with Feinstein’s situation describe her as seriously struggling and say it has been evident for several years.”
“Speaking on background, and with respect for her accomplished career, they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have. They describe Feinstein as forgetting what she has said and getting upset when she can’t keep up,” Mayer said.
Feinstein came under fire from both sides of the aisle for her handling of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominees Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
In 2018, Feinstein publicly doubted the credibility of Christine Blasey Ford, who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Feinstein later walked that back, and issued a statement that she found Blasey Ford credible. In 2020, Feinstein publicly thanked Republican Lindsey Graham, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, for conducting a smooth hearing for Barrett’s nomination, drawing the ire of some Democrats.
“This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein said.
The contest to replace Feinstein is already underway, with Democratic representatives Katie Porter and Adam B. Schiff announcing their Senate bids in recent weeks. Democratic Representative Barbara Lee is also expected to enter the race.
