According to two people familiar with the meeting, Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California told fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday that she intends to run for California’s U.S. Senate seat next year.
Lee, 76, has represented Oakland, Berkeley, and other Bay Area cities since 1998. She is one of the most liberal members of Congress, and she was the only one to vote against authorizing military action against Afghanistan in 2001.
Lee has yet to make an official announcement. Her decision to share her intentions with colleagues comes a day after Rep. Katie Porter, a Democrat from Orange County, became the first candidate to announce her plans for 2024.
Porter dodged questions Tuesday about the timing of her announcement, given California’s record rainfall and flooding.
“These storms are just one example of the importance of having leaders who understand what our country and California are facing,” Porter told reporters.
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has held the California seat since 1992 and has not indicated whether she will seek reelection. However, the 89-year-old has faced calls to resign from fellow Democrats and other critics who believe she can no longer serve effectively.
She declined to serve as Senate president pro tempore at the start of the year, a largely ceremonial role for the majority party’s longest-serving member that would have put her in the presidential line of succession.
According to two people familiar with the conversation, Feinstein spoke with Lee late last year. A congressional aide confirms that Porter’s office also contacted the California senator around the time of her announcement on Tuesday.
“Of course, everyone is welcome to put their hat in the ring, and I will make an announcement about my plans for 2024 at the appropriate time,” Feinstein said in a statement.
“Right now, I’m focused on ensuring that California has all of the resources it needs to deal with the devastating storms that have ravaged the state and killed more than a dozen people.”
