General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsVoting Dilemma in California
I am preparing my ballot for mailing, and I am faced with a difficult question for California Senator (Diane Finestein's Seat).
Here is the dilemma: I know who I want to vote for for the full-term of the Senate (I was torn between Katie Porter and Adam Schiff - but I've made a decision on that)
The sticky part comes here, Governor Newsom appointed a temporary Senator (Laphonza Butler) until this primary election where we will elect a senator to serve until Jan 2025. I don't want to lose any house seats, and so there is my problem. Do I vote for (Porter or Schiff, or any other house member for that matter), and lose a seat?
With such a close margin in the House I just don't know what to do.
I wish that Laphonza Butler was on the ballot, because her holding the seat until 1/25 makes the most sense to me, but she is not on it.
What to do.... what to do.... Any advice?
leftieNanner
(15,178 posts)Have to drop their House seats to run for Senate.
Sad.
Nictuku
(3,618 posts)Any clarification will help. Does this mean neither Katie or Adam are currently in the house because they are running for Senate? (I did not know that.... Not sure if that is right - I thought I've heard their names in roll calls (yes, I watch C-Span sometimes)
leftieNanner
(15,178 posts)But they can't run for both House and Senate (primaries) in the spring. That means one will likely become a Senator and the other will be out of office. Nothing says they can't run for House in 2026.
Nictuku
(3,618 posts)If one of the Current House Members that is running for this Unexpired Term (until Jan, 2025), they will have to vacate their current term in the House to take up the Senate Seat. (So, this is the thing I wish to avoid). I can vote for another Democrat who is not currently serving a House Term, and thus, have no effect on the slim majority/minority in the House.
The problem I have for that is that the Republican Steve Garvey could get in (if I vote for a less popular democrat), and then we would end up with an incumbent Republican (God Forbid!)
BigmanPigman
(51,638 posts)leftieNanner
(15,178 posts)Both Schiff and Porter have regular two year terms that end January 3, 2025. Because they are both running in the primary for Feinstein's seat, it doesn't impact their current terms. But it's possible they will both be running in the general election in November. Likely one of them will be elected Senator. Steve Harvey is running in the primary race for the Senate as a Republican. Top two in the primary move on.
I also hope Garvey isn't in the general election, but I cannot imagine California choosing him over Porter or Schiff.
Does this help?
Nictuku
(3,618 posts)That is my understanding for the 'Full Term' Senate Seat. But my question is more about the interim, (the special election that is also on our ballots), to fill seat until Jan, 2025. So it is a separate election and will impact the next 11 months.
leftieNanner
(15,178 posts)A woman to fill the rest of Diane's term.
Nictuku
(3,618 posts)She is not running for this interim period.
leftieNanner
(15,178 posts)Until her replacement is elected in November and seated in January.
Nictuku
(3,618 posts)FreeState
(10,585 posts)March is not a special election, its the normal Primary that happens every spring before a Presidential election.
The special election on the 19th is for Kevins seat: https://ballotpedia.org/California%27s_20th_Congressional_District_special_election,_2024
The special election will fill the vacancy left by Kevin McCarthy (R), who resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives on December 31, 2023.[2][3]
Nictuku
(3,618 posts)One from this election (I thought it was a special election) until Jan 2025, and then for the full term starting in Jan 2025.
Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, and Adam Schiff are all on both of these (as well as democratic other non-house members and republicans)
So if Porter, Lee, or Schiff win the interim, then we will be down a house member until Jan 2025 (Can the Governor appoint someone to replace their vacated house seat? That would be alright)
are currently in the house.
TomCADem
(17,390 posts)...because you cannot simultaneously run for a House and Senate seat. It is too bad that Porter ran given that she had a seat in a normally red district, but perhaps that is part of the reason why she thought she had nothing to lose.
brooklynite
(94,789 posts)The registration deadline for the House elections have already passed. Port (and Lee) can't run for their House seats at this point.