The death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein places Gov. Gavin Newsom under intense pressure to quickly name a replacement as a bitterly divided Congress votes on spending plan in the coming hours to avert a government shutdown.

Newsom had hoped to avoid the politically charged decision of selecting a second senator. But he will need to move swiftly as a budget standoff has the government on the verge of shutting down, and Senate Democrats could need every vote.

The possibility of Feinstein not finishing her term has loomed over California politics for months as the senator combatted health problems and exhibited signs of cognitive decline. California is in the midst of a once-in-a-generation race to succeed Feinstein in the Senate after she said she would not seek re-election.

But with more than a year left in Feinstein’s term, Newsom will need to appoint someone to take her place — a freighted decision that’s certain to alienate people.

Newsom had committed at one point to appointing a Black woman if he got a second Senate appointment, but he recently said that if Feinstein did not complete her term he would select a caretaker rather than Rep. Barbara Lee, who is running for Feinstein’s seat. Lee excoriated Newsom over those comments.

This will put Newsom in the remarkable position of selecting both of his state’s senators. He elevated Sen. Alex Padilla in 2021 after Kamala Harris left the Senate to assume the vice presidency. Newsom made that selection roughly five weeks after the presidential election.