Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who has been embroiled in an intra-party dispute over his call for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) resignation, said over the weekend that Democrats have expressed support for his move in private.
Feinstein, who at 89 is the Senate’s oldest member, has been absent from the chamber since being diagnosed with shingles in February. Democrats only control the chamber by a 51-49 margin, meaning that one absence gives Republicans an opportunity to block President Joe Biden’s nominees and legislative efforts.
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After years of criticisms from inside her party that she was no longer up to the job, Feinstein said in February she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024, though she vowed to serve out the remaining 20 months of her term.
Tensions over Feinstein’s absence boiled over as it became clear this week that she would not return at the conclusion of Senate recess on Monday, with two House Democrats, including one from her home state, calling for her resignation. The lawmakers, Khanna and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), said Tuesday in separate statements that while the longtime California lawmaker deserved praise for her storied political career, her health problems were affecting her ability to fulfill her duties.
Feinstein offered a compromise amid pressure over her absence on Wednesday, saying she would ask to be replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee until her return. The panel has been paralyzed as a result of Feinstein’s absence, which leaves Democrats without the necessary votes to advance Biden’s judicial nominees.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he would ask the Senate next week to allow another Democrat to serve on the panel, but the move will require Republican support, and it is unclear if the GOP will comply.
Asked how Democrats have responded to his decision to go public with what many in the party had already said anonymously to major news outlets in recent years, Khanna said he had received largely positive feedback from fellow lawmakers.
“Quite a few people have said in private, [have] texted [me] saying they agree with that,” the House Democrat said on MSNBC on Saturday.
“I think many colleagues are hoping she will come to the conclusion on her own [to resign],” he added. “They have a lot of respect for her, they don’t want to push her in a corner, but they’re hoping that she will make this decision to have dignity in ending a distinguished career.”
Most Democrats have either remained silent or defended Feinstein in the wake of the renewed dispute over her capacity to do her job. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) both appeared to imply that sexism and political motivations were involved in the push to oust the veteran senator.
The two seemed to be referencing the absence of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Khanna’s endorsement of Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) in the Democratic primary to fill Feinstein’s seat in 2024. Lee is polling behind Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Katie Porter (D-CA), but she is believed to be Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) front-runner to replace Feinstein were the senator to resign early. If Newsom were to appoint Lee, she would have the benefit of incumbency in her primary race and likely see a boost in the polls.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), meanwhile, said she was taking a wait-and-see approach and would give Feinstein a month or so before reassessing the matter.
