Barbara Lee tells lawmakers she's running for Senate - POLITICO

“Right now, successful respect to [Sen.] Dianne Feinstein and the floods and what I’m doing, I’m doing my work. And we’ll fto them cognize erstwhile I mean to spell to the adjacent step. But now’s the clip not to speech astir that,” she said.

Lee declined to accidental whether she’d tally against 89-year-old Feinstein if the California legislator chose to tally again alternatively than retire.

“I’m not truly doing thing but letting colleagues cognize that there’ll beryllium a clip to speech astir the Senate race,” she said.

Lee’s determination to tally comes a time aft Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) besides announced a bid for the spot presently held by Feinstein (D-Calif.). Feinstein’s aboriginal has been the taxable of overmuch speculation by Democrats successful caller months, though she’s remained publically noncommittal connected her plans. It represents a harmless Democratic spot for whoever tin musculus done a apt crowded primary.

Lee spoke to Feinstein and California Gov. Gavin Newsom past period astir her plans, according to a idiosyncratic acquainted with the situation. Feinstein told Lee she would marque a determination “soon” but understood Lee would request to program her ain bid.

The emerging Senate contention is apt to gully from a heavy good of ambitious House Democrats, galore of whom person been waiting for shots astatine the statewide office. A erstwhile person of the Progressive Caucus, Lee is known arsenic a longtime person successful California politics. And Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has besides signaled his involvement successful running, though helium hasn’t officially announced. Schiff’s campy had knocked Porter for announcing amid historical storms and flooding successful California, and Schiff utilized his email fundraising database to rise wealth for tempest relief.

Lee was wide seen arsenic starring the database of imaginable Feinstein replacements if she were to discontinue aboriginal and Gov. Gavin Newsom were to take a successor, though there’s nary denotation Feinstein would bash so. The politician vetted Lee erstwhile then-Sen. Kamala Harris departed for the vice presidency, and helium publicly committed to choosing a Black woman if helium had the accidental to marque different appointment.

While she lacks the fundraising mightiness of Porter and Schiff, Lee is simply a revered fig successful the Oakland-anchored territory she has represented for decades. Her heavy Bay Area roots could beryllium an plus fixed that some Porter and Schiff correspond confederate California districts.

Some different House members had emerged arsenic imaginable contenders, but Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) isn’t expected to question the seat. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) has said helium would defer a decision for a fewer months.

Jeremy White and Sarah Ferris contributed to this report