Dianne Feinstein, Congress' Oldest Member, Won't Seek Reelection

Ryan Bort / Rolling Stone
Dianne Feinstein, Congress' Oldest Member, Won't Seek Reelection Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) listens to Peiter Mudge Zatko, former head of security at Twitter, testify during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled Data Security at Risk: Testimony from a Twitter Whistleblower, in Hart Building, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. (photo: Tom Williams/Getty)

"Even with a divided Congress, we can still pass bills that will improve lives," the 89-year-old California Democrat insisted on Tuesday

Dianne Feinstein, the 89-year-old Democratic senator from California who has been mulling whether to run for another term in 2024, announced on Tuesday that she will, in fact, not be doing that.

“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein wrote in a statement. “Even with a divided Congress, we can still pass bills that will improve lives. Each of us was sent here to solve problems. That’s what I’ve done for the last 30 years, and that’s what I plan to do for the next two years. My thanks to the people of California for allowing me to serve them.”

Feinstein has been representing the nation’s most populous state in the Senate since 1992. Many have speculated — and reported on — her possible cognitive decline, with the San Francisco Chronicle noting last year that colleagues have said she suffers from significant memory loss, and that she often repeats herself and has even required reintroductions to people she’s known for years.

The reports have led many to call for Feinstein to step aside as several California Democrats in Congress have been circling her spot in the Senate. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) was the first to officially declare her candidacy for Feinstein’s seat. Rep. Adam Schiff has also thrown his hat in the ring, Rep. Barbara Lee will reportedly do so later this month, and Rep. Ro Khanna is rumored to be mulling a run, as well.

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