A leading progressive in the House threw her weight behind Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) in the bruising battle for California Senate.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) formally backed Lee on Monday, commending her as a crusader for the working class and social justice issues.
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“Barbara is a champion for justice who has been a persistent progressive voice in the U.S. House,” Jayapal said in a statement. “As a woman of color, I know representation matters and I’m excited for Barbara to bring her voice and her lived experience as a Black woman to the chamber so all of us can have a seat at the table.”
Jayapal is the first female Indian American to serve in the lower chamber. California technically already had its first South Asian American and black female to serve in the Senate under Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I am so grateful to have earned the trust and support of Congresswoman Jayapal,” Lee said in a statement. “She is one of the strongest voices for justice in Congress and it’s been my honor to fight alongside her for a more progressive future for all. I’m running this campaign to bring this fight to the U.S. Senate.”
The endorsement comes amid a progressive challenge from Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), an acolyte of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) with a penchant for going viral during her grilling sessions of corporate executives on the House Oversight Committee.
Both Porter and Lee are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, with Lee having previously served as a chairwoman.
Lee has been backed by several prominent Californians already, perhaps most notably Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), in the race to succeed outgoing Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
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So far, Lee appears to be trailing her primary foes on the fundraising circuit, with Pelosi-backed Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) leading the pack. Given the high-profile nature of the contest, many analysts have predicted that it could become one of the most expensive primaries of the 2024 Senate cycle.
Under California’s primary system, the top two Democrats could end up facing off in the general election.
