U.S. Senator
Why does this race matter?
A crowded field of candidates is running to fill the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein for more than 30 years. It’s a rare opportunity to represent the most populous state in the nation in the Senate. The March vote could decide a likely winner in November: If a Republican advances to the general election along with a Democrat, the Democrat would be favored to win the seat.
Why am I voting in this race twice?
When longtime California Sen. Dianne Feinstein died in September, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to serve the remainder of her term. Voters are now being asked to pick a senator to serve the short window from when the election is certified to when the term ends on Jan. 3, 2025, and also to pick a senator for the next full term, from January 2025 through January 2031.
Key Candidates
Top Priorities
Steve Garvey:
- Tackling homelessness by addressing the mental health and substance abuse crises.
- Improving public schools.
- Holding criminals accountable and improving funding for police departments.
Katie Porter:
- Tackling corruption at corporations and in government, including by barring federal lobbyists from making campaign contributions.
- “Unrigging” the economy by investing in public services, climate action and health care and limiting corporate consolidation.
- Empowering workers through a higher minimum wage and making it easier to organize labor unions.
Barbara Lee:
- Providing health care for all through a single-payer system.
- Taking climate action, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
- Protecting reproductive rights.
Adam Schiff:
- Expanding voting rights and eliminating the electoral college.
- Reforming campaign finance and ethics laws to make government more accountable.
- Reforming the Supreme Court by expanding it and imposing term limits.
Key Supporters
For Garvey
- N/A
For Lee
- California Labor Federation
- Congressional Black Caucus PAC
- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice)
For Porter
- Elizabeth Warren, U.S. senator
- California Labor Federation
- California School Employees Association
For Schiff
- Nancy Pelosi, U.S. representative
- California Labor Federation
- United Farm Workers
Additional Candidates
U.S. Senator FAQ
What does a U.S. senator do?
California’s two U.S. senators represent the interests of the state in the upper chamber of Congress. They write and vote on bills, pursue funding for projects and programs in the state, and decide on nominations for U.S. Supreme Court justices, federal judges, cabinet members and other federal officials.
What are the qualifications to be a senator?
Senators must be at least 30 years old, and have been U.S. citizens for at least nine years. They must also be residents of the state they’re running to represent at the time of the election.
How many years do we elect a U.S. senator for?
U.S. senators are elected for six-year terms.