Newsom Would Appoint Interim Senator

As three high-profile California Democrats vie to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) told NBC News that “he would not appoint any of them to the seat, should it become vacant sooner than expected.”

“That decision could be a blow to Rep. Barbara Lee, since her allies had reason to believe she was Newsom’s first choice to fill a potential vacancy. But that was before she entered the Senate race, where she is currently trailing in polls behind better-known and better-funded fellow Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.”