Laphonza Butler, the incoming California senator selected by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), has scrubbed references to her Maryland connections from her bio on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Butler’s bio on X had said she was located in Maryland, but as of Monday morning, her location has been removed.
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Butler’s appointment to the California Senate seat comes after Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein died at 90 on Friday. Newsom’s appointment of Butler comes after he promised the next senator he appointed would be a black woman. She is also the first lesbian black woman in Congress.
Beyond social media, Butler’s registration records indicate she lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her mailing address the same as her residential.
Butler is also the president of EMILY’s List, described as the “nation’s largest resource dedicated to electing Democratic pro-choice women to office.” On Sunday night, the newest California senator’s biography on the EMILY’s List website listed that “Laphonza grew up in Magnolia, MS, and attended one of the country’s premier HBCUs, Jackson State University. She lives in Maryland with her partner Neneki Lee and their daughter Nylah.” As of 7 a.m. Monday, the organization has removed the line that she lives in Maryland.
On social media, Butler said she was grateful to accept Newsom’s nomination to be senator “for a state I have made my home.”
“No one will ever measure up to the legacy of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, but I will do my best to honor her legacy and leadership by committing to work for women and girls, workers and unions, struggling parents, and all of California,” Butler wrote. “I am ready to serve.”
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I’m honored to accept Gov. @GavinNewsom‘s nomination to be U.S. Senator for a state I have made my home and honored by his trust in me to serve the people of California and this great nation. 🧵
— Laphonza Butler (@LaphonzaB) October 2, 2023
In appointing Butler, Newsom passed over Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and other black lawmakers and leaders in California. The Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to Newsom on Sunday encouraging him to appoint Lee to Feinstein’s seat.
