As rumors mounted on Capitol Hill that Sen. Dianne Feinstein would soon resign at age 89, speculation turned to fellow California Democrat and Gov. Gavin Newsom and who he would appoint to fill the shoes of the Golden State's longest-serving (31 years) senator.
With three Democrat House members already vying to succeed Feinstein when her term expires next year, Newsom's choice to fill the remainder of her term is not an easy one — should she decide to step down.
"It's going to be very difficult for Newsom to appoint anyone who wants to run for re-election [in 2024]," Dan Schnur, professor at the University of California-Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies and top aide to GOP former California Gov. Pete Wilson, told Newsmax.
Newsom, according to Schnur, "will be under pressure from [Senate candidates and Democrat Reps.] Adam Schiff and Katie Porter to select a placeholder, which makes selecting [Democrat Rep. Barbara] Lee a tough call for him."
Lee, 76, is an Oakland-area Democrat who got her political start in the Black Panther movement of the 1970s and worked on Panther leader Bobby Seale's 1973 campaign for mayor of Oakland.
Newsom has long promised he would name a black woman to the Senate if a vacancy occurred. His problem is that virtually all of the black women who would make credible appointees would want to run again.
These include Lee, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove.
"Unless Newsom finds a placeholder, he will have to choose between angering Schiff and Porter supporters or the African-American community," said Schnur, "Not a great set of options for someone who wants to run for president someday."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.