U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s death creates a vacancy in the Senate at a time when Democrats hold the slimmest majority in the chamber.
. An election to pick the state's next senator serving a full six-year term is scheduled for next year.HOW DOES IT IMPACT CONTROL OF THE SENATE?
Before Feinstein’s death, Democrats held a 51-49 majority. They had control of 48 seats, plus three independent members who generally vote with Democrats. Until her seat is filled, Democrats will be at least one vote short of a majority as they try to advance their priorities. There are no major votes looming in the Senate that are expected to fall totally along party lines.Newsom, a Democrat, has the power to appoint a replacement for the rest of her term, which was set to end in January 2025.
The race to replace her in the fall 2024 election is already underway, with a primary scheduled for March.It’s not immediately clear how quickly Newsom will move to pick a replacement. When then-Sen. Kamala Harris left her seat after being elected vice president in 2020, it went vacant for about two weeks until then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla was appointed by Newsom.
Still, if Newsom doesn’t appoint a replacement quickly, Senate Democrats could have a more difficult time winning enough votes as they try to keep the government open over the weekend. It’s unlikely that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his Republican caucus in the Senate will suddenly side with House Republicans pushing for a shutdown, but if that were to happen, it could make the votes around a shutdown tougher for Democrats.Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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