Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) made official her 2024 bid for California’s open Senate seat on Tuesday.
Lee had teased an announcement in the weeks before Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said she would step down at the end of her term, informing the Congressional Black Caucus of her decision to run in January. Lee filed election paperwork last week.
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“The Senate needs a perspective that I bring with my life experiences as a progressive black woman who not only fights for what is right but also gets the job done,” Lee told KTVU.
The Oakland-area Democrat has served in the House of Representatives since 1998 and was notably the only representative to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force against terrorism in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
The crowded field already includes two of her influential colleagues: Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA). The two Democrats had announced their bids before Feinstein, 89, announced her retirement last week.
Lee said she would focus on areas pertinent to California in her Senate campaign, including the climate and homelessness. She referenced her two-decade career in the House as a champion of progressive values.
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“When you look at the issues I’ve championed over the years, some call me the OG: Not original genius, it’s original gangster,” Lee said. “I’ve been out there fighting for structural change, institutional change, not tinkering around the edges.”
The California Senate race will likely be a Democrat-on-Democrat competition. The state’s jungle primary system allows the top two vote-getters to advance to the general election regardless of party. Schiff already scored a major endorsement when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) gave him the nod.
