Political and mathematical reality is that if Lee (or Butler) wants to avoid diluting Democratic votes to the point where a Republican like Garvey could make next November’s runoff, this might be a…
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., shakes hands with Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., as Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., left, and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., rear right, look on during a news conference about the legacy of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, at the Capitol in Washington. Sen. Butler was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to fills Feinstein’s seat in the Senate.
Newsom left it to Butler to decide whether or not to seek a full term next year, breaking his commitment to name a mere interim senator.If she entered the race, the former head of the EMILY’s List women’s political funding committee knew, she would be the fourth major Democrat in the race, which was also reported about to be joined by Steve Garvey, political neophyte and former all-star first baseman who won pennants with both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
This appeared to ensure a Democrat-on-Democrat general election race next fall. But if Butler were to get in, Democratic votes, especially those going to Lee, could be further split, potentially opening a path to the runoff for Garvey, who has more name recognition than anyone in the race not named Schiff.
As the former head of the nation’s leading women’s political funding group, Butler knows all this, but still was pondering the race. She also had to know that her fairly recent move to Maryland – one she reversed immediately upon getting Newsom’s nod – would harm her in a California Senate race.But there was one other possibility, however slim it appeared: Lee could drop out and urge supporters to vote for Butler.
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