U.S. Senate

HEATED U.S. SENATE RACE IN CALIFORNIA COULD TIP BALANCE OF POWER IN WASHINGTON D.C.

By Henri Migala

Photo, top row: Democratic representatives Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara  Lee; bottom row: Republicans Steve Garvey, ex-baseball player, and attorney Eric Early

February 5, 2024 (San Diego) -- California’s U.S. Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched and pivotal contests in the upcoming election cycle, capturing the nation's attention as a dynamic lineup of contenders from different backgrounds and political ideologies vie for the coveted seat.

With the death of long-serving Senator Dianne Feinstein, a seat that has been held by Democrats for decades is now up for grabs. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to fill out the rest of Feinstein’s term ending in January 2025.The top-two primary winners will run in the November general election for the six-year term beginning on January 3, 2025. Also on the primary ballot is a special top-two primary for the remainder of Feinstein's current term,so be sure to vote in both.

Butler is not seeking election. But 22 others are on the March 5 primary ballot vying for the Senate seat, including five well-known names—three Democratic members of Congress and two prominent Republicans, an attorney/businessman and a former baseball player.

.East County Magazine takes a closer look at the top five major contenders vying for this influential position to represent the golden state in the U.S. Senate.


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THE VEEPSTAKES ARE OVER - NOW WHOM MIGHT NEWSOM PICK TO REPLACE KAMALA HARRIS IN SENATE?

By Ben Christopher, CALmatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  Then Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris walks on stage during a gun safety forum, Oct. 2, 2019, in Las Vegas. Today, Joe Biden announced Sen. Harris as his running mate. Photo by John Locher, AP Photo

August 11, 2020 (San Diego) - Joe Biden’s choice of California’s junior senator, Kamala Harris, as his running mate brings to a close the presidential campaign’s most frenetic guessing game. It also opens up a relatively rare thing in the Golden State: the prospect of an open Senate seat.


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FEINSTEIN GETS QUADRUPLE THE VOTES OF ANY CHALLENGER, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO WIN OUTRIGHT

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

June 6, 2018 (Sacramento) – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein won 43.8% of the vote in a primary—four times the number of votes won by any of her three dozen or so challengers. But she fell short of the 50% needed to win outright.  So in the fall, a run-off between Feinstein and likely second-place finisher Kevin De Leone, former State Senate president, apears the likely scenario.


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DEMOCRAT DOUG JONES WINS ALABAMA SENATE SEAT OVER ROY MOORE, NARROWING REPUBLICANS CONTROL OF U.S. SENATE

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 13, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – By a slim 1.5% margin, Democrat  Doug Jones, a prosecutor, won Alabama’s U.S. Senate seat over Roy Moore, a former Alabama Supreme Court Justice.  Moore’s race was marred by allegations from numerous women who claimed sexual improprieties by Moore, including alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old when he was in his 30s. Moore has denied the allegations.

The victory means Republicans will have only a 51 to 49 majority in the U.S. Senate after Jones is sworn in. If even a single Republican votes with Democrats or is absent, Republicans could only secure passage by having Vice President Mike Pence cast a deciding vote. If two members defect or are absent, key measures such as legislation or judicial appointments could be blocked.


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SENATOR BOXER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT IN 2016

 

By Hayden Parsley

January 8, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--After two decades in the senate, California Senator Barbara Boxer announced this Thursday that she will not run for reelection in 2016.

At 74 years old, Boxer states she will put effort into ensuring her seat remains with her Democratic Party. She also says she will, “Keep fighting for the issues I love,” and plans to spend her time helping people. She says that neither her age nor the Republican majority are factors in her decision, but that she wants to come home to the state that she loves.


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OBAMA SIGNS BILL TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO 2.5 MILLION AMERICANS

 

Democrats break Republican filibuster in Senate and win passage of bill

 

July 23, 2010 (Washingon D.C.) – President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law legislation to extend unemployment benefits for 2.5 milllion out of work Americans.

 

The law extends unemployment insurance through November for out-of-work Americans who have not yet exhausted up to 99 weeks of aid. Benefits will be retroactive to late May, when the last extension expired. Benefits vary by state but will average $310 per week.


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BOXER MEETS WITH SAN DIEGO BUSINESS LEADERS, BRINGS "JOBS FOR CALIFORNIA" TOUR TO TOWN

July 8, 2010 (San Diego) – “We have to make sure that California is the hub of a new clean energy economy,” Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) said in a press conference Tuesday in San Diego. She added, “If we do this right, we’re going to see the words `made in America’ again.”

 


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