Four-term California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is encountering one serious roadblock on her campaign to secure another six years in the Senate: her own party isn’t endorsing her run.
The California Democratic Party backed away from giving Feinstein an endorsement Sunday — a move that could prove a significant hindrance for the senator going forward.
The party held a San Diego convention this weekend to “ratify candidate endorsements, endorse candidates for statewide office and map out how we can continue to lead the national resistance, define the progressive agenda for America, and remain the Big Blue Beacon of Hope.”
Feinstein’s challenger California State Senate Leader Kevin de León took 54 percent of the convention’s delegates this weekend, falling just six percent shy of the 60 percent threshold needed to secure the party’s endorsement. Feinstein received only 37 percent of the delegate vote.
The California senator has $9,801,396 cash on hand leading into the November election — a campaign purse much larger than de Leon’s $359,261. Feinstein also has the California political-power players’ endorsements, like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Kamala Harris.
While party endorsement undoubtedly helps candidates and incumbents win a primary, Feinstein had previously secured a nomination without the Democratic-party backing. When Feinstein ran for governor in 1990, she notably lost delegates’ nomination for supporting capital punishment but went on to win the primary.
Feinstein spent the weekend campaigning on gun control in the wake of the Florida shooting that took 17 lives at the hands of the alleged 19-year-old deranged shooter.
Via BizPAC
