Sen. Feinstein, 87, files initial paperwork for re-election

Dianne Feinstein has filed initial paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to seek re-election as a Democratic United States senator in the state of California. At 87-years-old, she’s currently the oldest sitting senator. She will be 91-years-old by the time re-election comes around. If she wins, then she would finish out her next term as senator at the age of 97.

A spokesperson for Feinstein noted that her paperwork was required to maintain her campaign committee and reflects an address update, but they would not speak on her behalf about the future of her career or if she’s actually running for re-election or not, which is covered in further detail below.

However, the elder Feinstein has been encouraged by notable commentators that Sen. Feinstein should consider retirement due to possible “cognitive decline,” so that Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom can appoint a replacement until the next election takes place, as reported by SFGate, who quoted a law proffesor and CNN contributor on the matter. They stated the following:

“It’s time for Sen. Feinstein to retire,” wrote UC Irvine law professor and CNN contributor Rick Hasen. “She did some great work in Senate. But it’s been clear for last few years that her cognitive decline is serious. Let Gov. Newsom appoint someone who can fully represent CA’s interests until election.”

The Californian senator has been criticized for her cognitive decline and Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader and Democrat from New York, had even requested that she step down from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The New Yorker ran an article on the situation with Sen. Feinstein’s mental state, saying that people had described her short-term memory as fading and very poor as of late. Specifically, “they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have. They describe Feinstein as forgetting what she has said and getting upset when she can’t keep up.”

When it comes to the future of Sen. Feinstein’s career and if she is serious about running for re-election, the LA Mag was able to get feedback from a Feinstein spokesman. They said she has always had a campaign committee and she must maintain her filings with the FEC if she wants to keep the account active. The spokesperson suggested the filings only reflected an address update and they would not comment on the possible run for her re-election.

At this time, it remains unclear if Feinstein is serious about running for re-election or was simply updating her address.

As stated on LA Mag:

“To be clear, Senator Feinstein has had a campaign committee since she took office, as all senators must. In order to keep this account active, the senator has to maintain filings with the FEC. Yesterday’s filings merely reflected an updated address,” a representative for Feinstein tells Los Angeles. 

The spokesman did not comment on speculation about the likelihood of the senator actively seeing reelection.

“I have no announcement on the senator’s future plans at this time,” he says.

Team Rising covered Feinstein’s status at the end of 2020:

Sen. Feinstein also faced backlash from her own political party at one point.