Pelosi Joins Democrats Attempting to Not-So-Gently Nudge Feinstein Out of Office By Endorsing A Successor

By Sarah RumpfFeb 2nd, 2023, 10:43 am
 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

Photo by Olivier Douliery/Abaca/Sipa USA via AP Images

At the Oscars, when your acceptance speech drags on too long, the producers cue up the music to shoo you off the stage. When you’ve been lingering too long in Congress, they nudge you out the door by endorsing a successor for your seat.

That’s what’s happening regarding California’s senior senator, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). Feinstein, 89, is the oldest sitting U.S. senator and the longest serving woman in the history of the Senate. She’s also been the focus of stories for the past few years with her fellow Democrats expressing concern about her “rapidly deteriorating” memory, trouble recognizing even longtime colleagues and staffers, and other issues drawing into question her ability to fulfill her job duties.

Feinstein is up for re-election in 2024 and has filed the paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to run again, but that was viewed as a legal formality that allows her to keep her campaign accounts open. She has not yet declared if she will run again, telling Bloomberg on Monday that she would announce her decision “in the spring sometime. Not in the winter. I don’t announce in the winter.”

Meanwhile, both Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have announced their intention to run for Feinstein’s seat, not waiting for whatever announcement she might or might not make in the spring.

In an interview last month with Fox Los Angeles anchor Elex Michaelson, Schiff said he had spoken with Feinstein “a number of times” and had kept her informed about his plans to run for the Senate, insisting that she was “more than comfortable with my announcing.”

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has now added her $0.02 to the chatter by issuing an endorsement of Schiff framed with a flattering message about the “great leadership of California’s iconic Senator Dianne Feinstein.”

“If Senator Feinstein decides to seek re-election,” Pelosi’s statement continued, “she has my whole-hearted support.” However, if Feinstein decides not to run, then Pelosi declared she “will be supporting” Schiff, “who knows well the nexus between a strong Democracy and a strong economy” and has “dedicated his life to public service.”

Schiff thanked Pelosi for her endorsement on Twitter, writing that he was “deeply honored and proud to have the support” of Pelosi, “who has been a friend and mentor throughout my time in Congress.”

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law & Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on the BBC, MSNBC, NewsNation, Fox 35 Orlando, Fox 7 Austin, The Young Turks, The Dean Obeidallah Show, and other television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe.