Laphonza Butler reflects on her brief Senate career, the presidential race and her future

Political speculation about the future of Sen. Laphonza Butler — the short-term replacement appointed to the chamber after the death of Dianne Feinstein — has run rampant in political circles. Would she return to California and run for office? Become the next leader of the Democratic National Committee?

Asked Saturday evening whether she sees herself pursuing such prospects, Butler, 45, was unusually clear for a politician.

“I don’t,� she said in an interview after a send-off celebration at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. “We have an incredibly deep talent of great thinkers and strategists who are going to be able to take that work on.�

Butler was appointed to the Senate seat 13 months ago by Gov. Gavin Newsom, after garnering national acclaim as an influential labor chief in Los Angeles and president of EMILY’s List, a national political organization that focuses on raising money to elect pro-choice Democratic women. The posting would have been a springboard to a strong run to retain the seat in the November election had Butler chosen to pursue that route. But she ruled that option out early, leading to Rep. Adam B. Schiff winning the seat. He is expected to be sworn in by mid-December.

Butler has embarked on a farewell tour of California, and on Saturday met with Los Angeles-area supporters. The event featured a warm, revealing conversation on stage with Mayor Karen Bass, a longtime ally.

Butler described the Senate as a “foreign land� and recounted the unexpected challenges that marked her tenure, including Hamas’ stealth attack on Israel in October 2023 and the bloody war that has resulted; the Senate’s rejection of House Republicans’ impeachment of the Democratic Homeland Security secretary; and being asked to vote four times to stop a government shutdown.

“Nevertheless, when I knew 14 months ago that I would accept the appointment, what I knew I was saying yes to was paying all of you back for everything you have given me,� she told the audience, which included local elected officials, labor activists and other Democratic constituencies.

U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler, left, shares a laugh Saturday with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a send-off event at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center.

(Seema Mehta / Los Angeles Times)

Butler spoke of working with Republicans to find areas of collaboration on shared goals, such as the issue of maternal healthcare with Alabama Sen. Katie Britt and agricultural issues with Iowa Sen. Charles E. Grassley.

Butler and Bass spoke about their shared experience of being among the few Black women to serve in Congress. Butler said some fellow senators seemed surprised as they admired how articulate she was, and recounted hearing “blatant Aunt Jemima� jokes. Bass recalled her House colleagues regularly confusing her with Reps. Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Barbara Lee of Oakland, who are also Black.

Butler, who served as a co-chair of Vice President Kamala Harris’ unsuccessful White House bid, later spoke to reporters about the role of race and gender in the presidential race. She said that although stereotypes and barriers still exist in electing women of color, it would be “intellectually dishonest� to blame Harris’ loss solely on racism or misogyny.

“I don’t discount that it was something that people thought about, a barrier that we’ve yet as a country to break through relative to women at the top office,� Butler said. But “when you have, you know, more than 70% of the American people feel like the country is on the wrong track, it ain’t just about race and gender.�

She said the Democratic Party needs to figure out why the many policies it’s embraced that are actually helping Americans are somehow not resonating with voters.

“The election results tell us that there is a problem with messaging,� Butler said. “There is a problem with connecting to what is being said, and what people are feeling and hope for their government and for their own lives and communities.�

Butler is less certain about what’s next for her.

“I don’t know. I’m gonna be a mom to a 10-year-old who has picked up this new habit of competitive cheer,� she said, adding that she’s not planning to move back to California from Washington, D.C., anytime soon — certainly not before her daughter finishes the school year.

“She just started fourth grade. I’m not going to snatch her out of fourth grade, that’s for sure,� she said. “We’ll figure it out after that. But, you know, the whims of my life shouldn’t interrupt hers.�