Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a trailblazer for women in politics in California and Washington who spent more than 30 years in the U.S. Senate, has died. She was 90.
President Joe Biden was one of many prominent political and cultural leaders to publicly mourn her passing. In a statement issued by the White House, Biden − a longtime Senate colleague of Feinstein’s − called her “a pioneering American. A true trailblazer. And for Jill and me, a cherished friend. “Often the only woman in the room, Dianne was a role model for so many Americans – a job she took seriously by mentoring countless public servants, many of whom now serve in my Administration,” Biden said. “She had an immense impact on younger female leaders for whom she generously opened doors.”
It is now up to California Gov. Gavin Newsom pick a replacement for Feinstein. Given the Democrats’ slight majority in the Senate, he is already under pressure to act quickly. In the past, he has vowed to appoint a Black woman to the seat. On Friday, though, Newsom made no mention of a successor in a statement marking her death.