Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., stated Sunday that he gained’t run for the seat of retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein and can endorse Rep. Barbara Lee as an alternative.
Referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Khanna stated in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” “I’ve concluded that, regardless of plenty of enthusiasm from Bernie people, the most effective place, essentially the most thrilling place, motion place, match place, for me to function a progressive is within the Home of Representatives.”
Khanna stated he shall be a co-chair of Lee’s marketing campaign, including, “We want a powerful anti-war senator, and she is going to play that position.”
After three many years within the Senate, Feinstein, 89, stated this yr that she would retire from Congress on the finish of 2024.
Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Adam Schiff introduced in January that they are working, becoming a member of what’s anticipated to be a crowded Democratic major race for Feinstein’s seat. The identical month, Khanna instructed Politico that he was additionally contemplating a Senate bid.
Lee, who formally introduced her Senate marketing campaign final month, has been within the Home since 1998 and beforehand was in each the state Senate and Meeting. She is a co-chair of the Steering and Coverage Committee.
Lee has additionally been chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She has a protracted historical past of talking out in regards to the want for Congress to revisit the authorization for using army power it handed after the 9/11 terrorist assaults, which presidents have used since then because the authorized foundation to launch army operations.
Khanna nodded to Lee’s having a “distinctive voice” by being “the lone vote in opposition to the countless battle in Afghanistan.”
“She stood up so strongly in opposition to the battle in Iraq,” Khanna stated. “She labored with me in attempting to cease the battle in Yemen, the Battle Powers Decision. And admittedly, Jake, illustration issues.”
Khanna additionally famous that there isn’t “a single African American lady” within the Senate: “She would fill that position. She would be the solely candidate from Northern California, and he or she’s going to, I believe, consolidate plenty of progressives.”
Fiona Glisson and Rebecca Shabad contributed.