In the aftermath of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s passing, the political spotlight has swiftly shifted to California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat with notable national ambitions, rumored to be contemplating a 2028 presidential bid.
With the responsibility of appointing someone to complete the remaining 13 months of Feinstein’s term, Governor Newsom, who recently engaged in counter-Republican messaging at a GOP debate on behalf of President Biden’s re-election campaign, has previously committed to selecting a Black woman for the position.
Amidst this unfolding drama, media outlets Newsmax and The Desert Sun have reported that personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle are allegedly on the governor’s radar as potential contenders for the seat.
However, the billionaire book publisher and television personality, Oprah Winfrey, has previously said she has no intentions of considering a Senate run, as per the Los Angeles Times.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, also appears to be a potential, albeit unlikely, candidate for the coveted position.
Sources told The Daily Mail that Markle’s name has indeed surfaced in discussions regarding Feinstein’s replacement.
A significant Democratic donor informed the Mail, “Meghan is definitely a long-shot but in the craziness that is US politics these days, it’s not an impossibility. Crazier things have happened.”
This isn’t the first instance of Markle’s name appearing as a political contender; she was reportedly considered for a Senate position before the 2020 election, at which time President Biden selected Senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential candidate.
According to a senior Labour Party source speaking to the Mail, Markle, who has cultivated a close relationship with prominent feminist Gloria Steinem, has actively networked among senior Democrats with an eye possibly set on a grassroots campaign, ultimately aimed at a presidential run.
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An unnamed source quoted by the Mail stated, “Meghan is interested in politics more than anything else. That’s where she believes her power is, but she has had to focus on making money.”
Governor Newsom is facing mounting pressure, especially from leaders within his party, to honor his pledge of appointing a Black woman to Feinstein’s seat, with some urging him to consider Representative Barbara Lee.
However, Newsom’s decision is fraught with potential fallout, as any appointment risks alienating crucial allies he might need for any future national campaign aspirations.
The Governor reportedly plans to bypass those already campaigning for Feinstein’s post, instead possibly opting for a caretaker appointment to be succeeded by the candidate voters elect in the upcoming ballot.
Names of several accomplished Black women, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, have been floated as prospective appointees.
However, this approach garnered criticism earlier this month, with Representative Lee and others expressing their unhappiness with the notion of a Black woman being appointed merely as a caretaker.
“The idea that a Black woman should be appointed only as a caretaker to simply check a box is insulting to countless Black women across this country who have carried the Democratic Party to victory election after election,” Lee wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This sentiment was echoed by Aimee Allison, founder of the leftist group She the People, who said “Black women are not mere caretakers, but the voting and organizing center of the national Democratic Party.”
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Remembering Dianne Feinstein:
