Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) told colleagues on Wednesday that she would run for the Senate, a source familiar with the discussion told HuffPost.
Politics first reported that representative announced his plans to run for the Senate in 2024 during a closed-door meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus. Lee said he was waiting for a formal announcement of his candidacy out of respect for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has yet to say she will seek a sixth term, and persistent storms and causing floods now plaguing California.
“Now, about it [Sen.] Dianne Feinstein and the flood and what I do, I work. And we’ll tell you when I’m going to move on to the next step. But now is the time not to talk about it,” he said Politics.
Lee intends to make a formal announcement “when appropriate,” but has spoken with Feinstein about his intention to disclose, The Washington Post reports.
News of Lee’s plans to run for the Senate emerged a day later Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif) announced her candidacy. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has too signaled to run away. Meanwhile, Feinstein said Tuesday that “everyone is always happy to throw their hat in the ring” and that he will make an announcement about the future of the election “at the appropriate time.”
Lee represents Oakland and Berkeley and has served in the House of Representatives for more than two decades. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) reportedly considered Lee for replacing Kamala Harris in the Senate in 2020 but chose California election leader Alex Padilla.
HuffPost’s Igor Bobic contributed reporting.