Progressive Rep. Katie Porter launches bid for Feinstein's California Senate seat - CNN

CNN  — 

California Rep. Katie Porter announced a 2024 Senate bid connected Tuesday, launching her run for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s spot successful what could beryllium a bruising Democratic primary.

The 89-year-old Feinstein, a subordinate of the Senate since 1992, has not yet made nationalist her ain plans for 2024, and her bureau did not respond to a petition for remark connected Porter’s announcement. However, galore Democrats judge she is apt to discontinue alternatively than question a sixth afloat term.

Porter, a erstwhile instrumentality prof who has proven to beryllium a prolific fundraiser since archetypal winning her Orange County-area House spot successful 2018, survived a pugnacious reelection bid successful 2022, erstwhile the redistricting process placed her location successful Irvine wrong a 47th District successful which she had to recently present herself to astir two-thirds of voters.

Porter, who studied nether aboriginal Sen. Elizabeth Warren astatine Harvard Law School, is champion known nationally for her crisp questioning successful House oversight committee hearings. She is besides a starring progressive, serving arsenic lawman seat of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

“California needs a warrior successful the Senate – to basal up to peculiar interests, combat the unsafe imbalance successful our economy, and clasp alleged leaders similar Mitch McConnell accountable for rigging our democracy,” Porter said Tuesday successful a tweet accompanied by a video announcing her candidacy.

If Feinstein were to retire, it would apt acceptable disconnected a crowded scramble for the high-profile Senate spot successful the country’s astir populous state.

Other imaginable contenders could see Rep. Adam Schiff, Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis, Attorney General Rob Bonta and US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, a erstwhile longtime subordinate of Congress.

Schiff, who views the legislator arsenic a mentor, went to spot Feinstein successful December to archer her that helium was reasoning astir running, successful what a root acquainted with the gathering said was intended to amusement her owed respect.

Feinstein has filed 2024 reelection paperwork with the FEC, but has faced disapproval precocious astir her fittingness for the job. She rejected those suggestions, telling CNN past twelvemonth that she feels “absolutely” capable to service afloat successful her position, adding: “I deliberation that’s beauteous obvious.”

This communicative has been updated with further reporting.