Tanu Henry and Edward Henderson | California Black Media
Last week, calls from state leaders and the public urging California Sen. Dianne Feinstein to resign grew louder. But there is still a large number of voters undecided about who they would like to replace her.
In a recent poll conducted by the UC Berkley Institute of Governmental Studies, 4 out of 10 voters do not know who they will vote for in the 2024 senate race. The candidates to replace Senator Feinstein include Democrats, Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA-47), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA-30) and Barbara Lee (D-CA_12) and Republican attorney Eric Early.
According to the poll, Early and Porter are in the lead with 18% and 17% of the vote, respectively. Schiff (14%) and Lee (9%) are falling behind with 42% of likely voters still undecided. The top two finishers in the March 2024 primary will face off in the general election.
Lee, the only announced Black candidate, received a vote of favorability with 26% of likely voters in the poll, 19% unfavorable and 55% saying they had no opinion. Among Black voters, 45% said they had no opinion of Lee.
Lee is known for being the sole vote against giving President George W. Bush broad war powers after 9/11. In the California Legislature, she wrote the California Violence Against Women Act and a bill enhancing penalties for blocking access to abortion clinics.
“We’re not looking back on this campaign,” Lee said. “But I want you to look at what I have done as a progressive Black woman, both in the Legislature and in Congress, to know that I’m going to stand my ground. I have convictions and courage. And it’s an indicator of what I will do in the future.”