Today, we mourn the passing of a trail-blazing leader and pillar of public service, Senator Dianne Feinstein. Sen. Feinstein, San Francisco’s first female mayor and the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate leaves behind a legacy of historic accomplishments – from the Assaults Weapons Ban, to the creation of the AMBER Alert, to reauthorization of the Violence Against Women act, to her advocacy for LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, to leading the efforts to create Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks. She was a true “political giant,” and both California and the nation are better for her having served.
As a resolute moderate, Sen. Feinstein understandably endured criticisms from both sides of the aisle. Many disapproved of her obstinance at ending the filibuster and mishandling of Justice Barrett’s SCOTUS confirmation hearing. In recent months, Courage California had asked the senator to resign in the name of moving progress forward in the Senate.
Courage now looks towards the future, along with the rest of California and the nation, as we face the looming threat of a government shutdown. Gone are the days of good faith bipartisanship and governing from the center. We must look towards progress, accountability, and true representation as Californians demand bolder action against the outsized influence of MAGA extremists and the threats to abortion, voting rights, climate justice, economic security, and racial justice.
Today we mourn. Tomorrow we work and anticipate Gov. Newsom’s appointment to the U.S. Senate ahead of next year’s election. It is vital that Newsom displays the courage to keep his longtime promise – and appoint a progressive Black woman – so Sen. Feinstein’s legacy of trail-blazing can live on with a leader from a community that has long been the backbone of our democracy and on the forefront of change.