Who Is Laphonza Butler, California's New, History-Making U.S. Senator?

Laphonza Butler, who will serve the remainder of the late Dianne Feinstein’s U.S. Senate term, brings a long history of activism for progressive causes to her new post.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that he was appointing Butler to succeed Feinstein, the longest-serving woman in the Senate, who died Friday at age 90. Butler, a Black lesbian, will be only the third Black woman senator and the first LGBTQ+ person of color in the body.

What Is Butler's Background?

Butler has been president of EMILY’s List, which works to elect pro-choice Democratic women to office, since 2021. She was the first Black woman to head the group.

Before that, she was director of public policy and campaigns in North America for Airbnb. She also was a partner at political consulting firm SCRB Strategies, where she worked for many candidates, and was a senior adviser to Kamala Harris when Harris was seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Butler was previously a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in California.

She is a former president of Service Employees International Union Local 2015, the largest union in California and the largest union for home-care workers in the nation. She was elected to this position at age 30, making her one of the youngest people ever to head the organization. In that capacity she led a successful effort to get California to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour (it is now $15.50 and will go up to $16 in 2024) and enact paid family and medical leave. She was an SEIU international vice president and president of the SEIU California State Council.

Butler also worked on Holly Mitchell’s campaign for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Mitchell’s election in 2020 made the board all women for the first time in its history.

She has been a member of the University of California Board of Regents and the board of directors for the Children’s Defense Fund and BLACK PAC. She grew up in Magnolia, Miss., and attended Jackson State University, one of the nation’s leading historically Black universities.

How Are People Reacting to Newsom's Decision?

Civil rights leaders are praising Butler’s appointment.

“The appointment of Laphonza Butler to the Senate is a landmark moment in the fight for social, racial and economic justice,” said a statement from Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. “As the first Black lesbian to represent California in the United States Senate, Laphonza brings a compelling voice for abortion rights, the labor movement and civil rights into Congress. Her leadership is a testament to the legacy of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s strong record of pro-LGBTQ+ support. The threats to reproductive freedoms and LGBTQ+ families emanating from the Supreme Court and anti-equality politicians are twin crises that require immediate attention, and Laphonza Butler is an exceptional advocate on both of these issues. We thank Gov. Newsom for making an excellent choice in Laphonza Butler to succeed Senator Feinstein.”

David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, a leading Black LGBTQ+/SGL (same-gender-loving) civil rights organization, issued a statement saying, “Butler's appointment as California's first openly LGBTQ+ United States Senator is an extraordinary milestone. Her journey from being a trailblazing labor organizer to becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress in American history is a testament to her unwavering dedication to justice, equality, and the progress of our nation. This appointment sends a powerful message that the voices and experiences of Black LGBTQ+/SGL individuals matter, and that our presence in leadership positions is not only warranted, but necessary, for our democracy to thrive. This appointment is a step towards a more representative government, reflecting the true diversity and richness of our nation.”