“The View” co-hosts discussed whether Democratic California Rep. Katie Porter’s announcement to run for Senate is disrespectful to 89-year-old incumbent California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Porter announced her bid to possibly unseat Feinstein in the 2024 race. The incumbent has not expressed any intention to retire from her role at the end of her current six-year term.
Co-host Sunny Hostin said she is “surprised” that Porter would potentially challenge Feinstein rather than receive her “blessing.” She said she only wants to see a new Democrat take the seat if Feinstein steps down.
“I was surprised because when we saw the Democrats during that House chaotic moment when they were trying to pick speakers was this unity, and I think that unity came from the fact that Hakeem Jeffries waited his turn and waited for Nancy Pelosi to sort of bless him and say, yes, I’m gonna step down,” Hostin said. “You may step up and I think she kind of earned that right. And so Dianne Feinstein, I mean, she has been a lion of the Senate and for her, even at 90, I don’t know, she’s putting her papers for 2024 basically saying ‘I’m gonna run again.’ So there’s some tension there and I’m surprised Katie Porter wouldn’t get her blessing first.”
Co-host Sara Haines commended Porter for entering the race and suggested she may have privately communicated with Feinstein prior to her announcement. Co-host Joy Behar then said Porter has great political skills. (RELATED: Rep. Katie Porter Says The Term ‘Pedophile’ Brands Someone A Criminal Because Of Their Sexual Orientation)
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin criticized the timing of Porter’s candidacy announcement, saying she should stand in support of a fellow Democrat and not make the announcement immediately after winning her re-election campaign.
“You always stand on the shoulders of the people before you. She served in the Senate for, I believe, 31 years. She was the first female mayor of San Francisco, she needs to know who paved the way for her. California is also facing deadly floods, 17 lives have been lost and Dianne Feinstein put out a statement saying she has not made a decision yet whether she’s retiring, but her focus is on the floods. I actually interpreted a bit of shade in there, like I’m doing work for my home.”
“And just finally, this is, I can say this about a lot of people. She was just sworn into office in the House. I don’t love when people run for one office only to run for the next thing,” she continued.
Behar argued that the U.S. has a “stupid system” since Supreme Court justices are in office for life while representatives have to run every two years. Haines said Feinstein should consider stepping down to allow younger candidates to serve in her seat.
Feinstein currently struggles with extensive memory loss and declined to run for Senate Judiciary Committee chairwoman in 2021, despite serving as a ranking member since 2017. She filed the papers to run for re-election despite not having announced a campaign.