Newly appointed Senator Laphonza Butler says she won't run for a full term next year

(CN) — Less than three weeks after she was appointed to temporarily fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Dianne Feinstein, Laphonza Butler announced, on Thursday, that she would not seek a full term in office in next year’s election.

“I’ve spent the past 16 days pursuing my own clarity — what kind of life I want to have, what kind of service I want to offer and what kind of voice I want to bring forward,” said Butler in a written statement posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “After considering those questions I’ve decided not to run for a full term in the U.S. Senate. Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign. I know this will be a surprise to many because traditionally we don’t see those who have power let it go.”

Butler’s appointment by Governor Gavin Newsom came as something of a surprise. Though Newsom had promised to appoint a black woman as caretaker, most expected him to name an elected official, like Secretary of State Shirley Weber or LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. Butler, a former union leader who until recently ran the non-profit EMILY’s List, had never before held public office.

Nonetheless, she was expected to be a formidable candidate if she decided to run, given her extensive political connections and fundraising experience. As a black lesbian, she would have been able to credibly speak to the issue California Democrats care most about: race and gender equity, as well as abortion rights and labor. But she would have had to raise many millions of dollars — essentially starting the race a lap or two behind some other of the other well-established candidates, including Rep. Adam Schiff, who has already raised some $32 million.

Two other congresswomen are running: Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. Last week, former professional baseball player Steve Garvey announced he was entering the race as a Republican. As the only major Republican candidate running, and because about a third of the state’s voters are still registered as Republicans, Garvey stands a very good chance of finishing first or second in the primary, thus making the November runoff. That would leave only one spot for the Democratic candidates, making the inter-party fight that much more competitive.

Butler was expected to take her time before making a decision. Many observers thought she would run, if only because she stood a decent chance of winning. But an election also would have exposed her to a level of scrutiny she has yet to experience. Earlier this week, financial disclosures reveled that Butler made at least $1 million from Airbnb, where she used to work. Butler’s work in the private sector — she also served as a consultant to Uber — drew some criticism from progressives. A headline from Jacobin, a socialist opinion magazine, read: “Laphonza Butler’s Work at Airbnb Betrayed Everything She Ever Stood For.”

Her decision not to run still leaves her with a bit more than a year as senator.

“California voters want leaders who think about them and the issues they care most about,” Butler said in her statement. “I now have 383 days to serve the people of California with every ounce of energy and effort that I have.”

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