As California Governor Gavin Newsom faces a high-stakes decision to replace late senator Dianne Feinstein, he is under immense pressure from competing interests. The political world is closely watching Newsom and the outcome of his decision will have a major impact in the nation’s largest state.
On February 9th, Feinstein passed away at the age of 87, leaving a vacancy in the U.S. Senate that Newsom is responsible for filling. Before entering the Senate in 1992, Feinstein was the mayor of San Francisco. Newsom must now choose someone to carry on her legacy.
However, it is not a simple decision. Leadership in the state Senate, House, and more progressive activists are contesting for who will replace Feinstein. The governor wants someone who is well-suited for the role but also politically palatable to the different power bases he answers to.
At the same time, Newsom must be wary of potential criticism should he go in a certain direction with his choice. A predictable pick could come off as a handout to those in power. Equally, someone more décoloré — a French term referring to someone who is a novice in politics — could leave the more experienced networks feeling neglected. It will be a difficult balance to strike.
Given that California is seen as the engine for progressive policy in the United States, Newsom’s appointee will also be in the spotlight on both the local and federal levels. The Senate seat is not only up for grabs but a symbol of change and progress. The importance of the decision lies in the fact that it could potentially reshape representation of liberal democracy in the United States.
Time is of the essence as Newsom has less than two weeks to make his choice for the open seat. As he decides, it is important to bear in mind that Newsom’s pick is more than an adversary of his own ambition but a symbolic capital for his effort to reshape the future of California and the USA at large.
