Laphonza Butler, the woman chosen by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to finish out the late Dianne Feinstein's Senate term, will make history when she's sworn in Tuesday.
Butler will be the first openly lesbian African American to serve in the Senate. Sen. Kamala Harris was expected to swear in the new junior senator from California.
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Newsom said Butler continues his years of advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ and African American communities.
"What the right is doing to roll back rights, what the right is doing to try to bring America back to a pre-1960s world, that assault on the LGBT community, that assault on the African American community, criminalizing speech and books and travel, this cultural purge that's going on in this country, all of those things matter," Newsom said. "And all of that reinforces why I just think Laphonza Butler is uniquely positioned. Simply the best person."
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Butler is a longtime community organizer, political consultant and operative.
For the last three years, she's been the head of EMILY's List, a super PAC in Washington D.C. dedicated to electing pro-choice women to office.
Critics were quick to note that she's currently registered to vote in Maryland and maintains a residence there. Some argue that should disqualify her from representing California.
"Still has a house out here and re-registered," Newsom said. "We were transparent about that and put that forward.”
According to the California Secretary of State's office, by maintaining a home in Southern California, Butler meets the qualification.
Butler said she will also re-register to vote in California. She's expected to be sworn into the Senate by her friend Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Feinstein's public viewing will take place in San Francisco. She will lie in state at city hall beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday. The public is invited to pay their respects.
Inside city hall on Monday, a larger memorial bouquet was standing next to Feinstein's bust from when she served as mayor of San Francisco. A set of books was still set up on the fourth floor of city hall for residents to leave notes of condolences.
A funeral for Feinstein will be held at the Herbst Theatre on Thursday. It will be closed to the public, but a simulcast of the service will be available at city hall and online.
