California governor Gavin Newsom names Laphonza Butler to Dianne Feinstein Senate seat

Butler is an American Democratic Party political strategist and the president of EMILY’s List, a group that works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights. She is also a former adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris and a former labor leader in California. With this appointment, Butler becomes the only Black woman serving in the US Senate and the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the chamber.