‘CALIF., HERE I COME’
New sen. lives in Md.
California’s newest senator is a resident of Maryland.
Democratic Golden State Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday evening that he was tapping EMILY’s List president Laphonza Butler to serve out the term of Dianne Feinstein, who died last week at 90.
However, records indicate that Butler (inset) has spent recent years far from the constituents she will represent for the next 15 months.
A Federal Election Commission filing from the end of August for the abortionrights advocacy group listed Silver Spring, Md., as Butler’s place of residence.
Individual donation records for Butler fur- ther indicated she has not lived in California since at least September 2021, when she was tapped to lead the powerful Democratic-supporting organization.
“Butler is a longtime California resident and homeowner. She moved to the DC area when she became president of Emily’s List. Butler has already re-registered [to vote] in California,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told The Post on Monday.
Before being scrubbed, Butler’s X account indicated that she lived in Maryland around the time Newsom’s announcement went public.
Some iterations of her Wikipedia page also had her living in Maryland as well, although that appears to have been edited to reflect her Los Angeles roots.
Newsom’s choice was mocked by conservatives such as New Hampshire state Senate Deputy Chief of Staff Grant Bosse, who cracked: “So many people have moved out of California under Gavin Newsom that he’s appointing one of them to the Senate.”
“California’s senators now exist to represent national left-wing activist causes, not Californians,” another user said. “She’s the Senator from Planned Parenthood.”
Butler, who worked on Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed 2020 presidential campaign, was part of the Service Employees International Union for nearly two decades and served as a leader in its California wing, the largest labor union in the state.
She later worked at Airbnb’s policy operation, before being elevated to Emily’s List president.
Harris is expected to swear in Butler on Wednesday.
Newsom had faced pressure over his long-standing promise to appoint a black woman to replace Feinstein if she could not finish her term.
He promised last week not to select anyone currently running to replace Feinstein, whose term would have ended in early 2025.
That vow rankled Senate hopeful Rep. Barbara Lee, who knocked him for teeing up a “token” appointment.
“If the Governor intends to keep his promise and appoint a Black woman to the Senate, the people of California deserve the best possible person for that job. Not a token appointment,” said Lee, who is black.
Butler, who will be the first openly LGBTQ person to serve as a senator from California, is free to vie for the seat, according to a Newsom adviser.
Butler’s appointment could also prove to be of strategic value for Newsom if he decides to run for president in 2028 due to the power of EMILY’s List as a Democratic constituency.