Who is Laphonza Butler? California's new senator set to replace Dianne Feinstein
Laphonza Butler has been chosen to replace late Californian Senator Dianne Feinstein. Here's a profile of the American politician.
44-year-old American political strategist and politician Laphonza Butler is all set to replace the late Dianne Feinstein as the new Senator of California.
Governor Gavin Newsom, took to X on early Monday, to announce the decision.
“I'm proud to announce California's new United States Senator -- Laphonza Butler,” began the governor in his post.
"Laphonza has spent her entire career fighting for women and girls and has been a fierce advocate for working people.
She will make history -- becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in the U.S. Senate.
I have no doubt she will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington," he added.
Who is Laphonza Butler?
Laphonza Romanique Butler was born in 1978, in Magnolia, Mississippi.
She lost her father at the age of 16, and her mother being the sole provider of the family did a variety of jobs such as hat of a security guard and a bookkeeper.
“We weren’t the family that talked about elections or politics at the dinner table, but we were the family that talked about what it meant to be in service to others,” she said, in an interview with ELLE in 2021, adding that it is her mother’s influence that“propels me forward.”
Professional Career
The youngest of three children Laphonza began her career as a union organizer for nurses, janitors, and hospital workers in cities like Baltimore, Milwaukee and New Haven.
It was in 2009 when she moved to California, where she served as the president of SEIU United Long Term Care Workers from 2015.
Since then, as mentioned by Gavin in his post, she worked to boost minimum wages in the city.
In 2018, she joined SCRB Strategies, a political consulting firm, as a partner and played a central role in Hilary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2020.
The biggest lesson she learned from the former Vice President is to “lean into your ambition” said Laphonza to ELLE.
The same year she left SCRB to become the director of public policy and campaigns in North America for Airbnb.
In 2021, Laphonza was named the third president of EMILY'S LIST. She is the first woman of colour and a mother to lead the organization.
EMILY'S LIST is a political action committee that aims to help elect Democratic female candidates who support abortion rights to office.
When she takes office, Laphonza will be the first LGBT Senator from California and the first black lesbian to serve in the Senate.
She will be replacing the late Senator Dianne Feinstein,90, who served as the U.S. Senator from California from 1992 till her death in 2023.