California Democrat Barbara Lee Files Paperwork to Run for Senate

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) declaring her candidacy for 89-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) seat a day after the octogenarian said she would not seek reelection. 

The FEC filing first pointed out by Teddy Schleifer with Puck News shows Lee registered her campaign committee, Barbara Lee for U.S. Senate, late Wednesday afternoon. 

Well hello.

There it is —

Congresswoman @RepBarbaraLee is running for the U.S. Senate.

FEC filing just crossed the transom. pic.twitter.com/G5Zz43xonp

— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) February 15, 2023

Lee joins Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Katie Porter (D-CA) as candidates for the seat in what will be a highly contentious election for the three Democrats looking to advance their careers from one of the state’s 52 congressional seats and other candidates who enter the fray.

Feinstein, the eldest member of Congress, took to Twitter on Tuesday to announce she would not be seeking reelection but noted she intends to finish her term. Last May, the New York Times reported that Democrats had been having trouble keeping her declining mental health under wraps, with some suspecting she may not complete her term. 

“Each of us was sent here to solve problems,” Feinstein wrote Wednesday. “That’s what I’ve done for the last 30 years, and that’s what I plan to do for the next two years. My thanks to the people of California for allowing me to serve them.”

Following the announcement, Lee praised Feinstein in a series of tweets, calling her a “historic figure, a trailblazer, and a tireless advocate for the people of California and our country.” 

Senator Dianne Feinstein is a historic figure, a trailblazer, and a tireless advocate for the people of California and our country. Shattering glass ceilings, she served as the first female chair of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

— Barbara Lee (@BarbaraLeeForCA) February 14, 2023

“While I hope we will keep the focus in these coming days on celebrating the Senator and her historic tenure in the Senate, I know there are questions about the Senate race in 2024, which I will address soon,” she later added. 

Last week, the Washington Post reported that Lee is expected to make a formal announcement before March as she wants to launch her campaign during Black History Month.