Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILY’s List, has been chosen by California Governor Gavin Newsom to succeed the late Senator Dianne Feinstein. This decision advances a leader from a formidable group that works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights.
In light of Feinstein’s recent death and at a pivotal moment when a closely divided Congress nearly avoided a federal shutdown, Newsom’s fast decision highlighted the significance of every Senate vote for the Democrats.
Who is Laphonza Butler?
Laphonza Butler is a prominent figure in American Democratic politics, currently serving as the president of EMILY’s List, a major organization supporting women in politics. Her career started out as a union organizer, representing numerous labor unions in various places. She concentrated on organizing nurses and caregivers after relocating to California in 2009, eventually rising to the position of President of SEIU United Long Term Care Workers, SEIU Local 2015.
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Butler was elected president of the California SEIU State Council in 2013 and actively promoted measures including raising the state’s minimum wage and taxing the wealthiest citizens. In the Democratic primaries for president in 2016, she supported Hillary Clinton.
She was nominated by Governor Jerry Brown to the University of California Board of Regents in 2017, where she served until 2021.
According to recent reports, Governor Gavin Newsom intends to nominate Butler to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat left by the late Dianne Feinstein. Butler would make history if she were elected as the first African-American woman to serve as the senator from California. Butler is a fervent supporter of working families, women’s rights, and democracy and is seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party who is prepared to make a huge impact in the years to come.
