Laphonza Butler appointed to replace Feinstein in Senate

California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Democratic strategist Laphonza Butler to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat left by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein. Butler, a former adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris, will serve until the 2024 election. She will be the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate and the first openly LGBTQ+ lawmaker to represent California in the upper chamber. Newsom's decision to appoint a temporary replacement was criticized by U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, who is already running for Feinstein's seat.