Dianne Feinstein, 89, is retiring from politics. “I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election in 2024,” the Democrat said in a statement on Tuesday (local time). However, she said she wants to achieve as much as possible for the state of California, which she represents, before the end of her term next year.
Feinstein has held numerous offices in her career, often playing a pioneering role as a woman. From 1978 to 1988, she served as San Francisco’s first female mayor, and in 1992, she was the first woman to be voted into the Senate for her state of California. She was also the first woman to serve on the Judiciary Committee and the first woman to chair the Rules Committee and the Intelligence Committee.
In 1994 she was one of the leading voices on a ban on producing certain semi-automatic weapons for civilian use. The ban expired in 2004. She also helped write legislation on cybersecurity and protecting amateur athletes against sexual abuse, among other things.
“I will continue to focus on passing sensible legislation to combat the gun violence epidemic, protect our pristine landscapes and promote economic growth,” Feinstein said.
US President Joe Biden praised her for fighting gun violence and protecting the environment. He said he’d worked with more senators than almost anyone and could honestly say, “Dianne Feinstein is one of the best.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom also stated that Feinstein has “changed life for the better in our state and across the country and opened doors for generations of women leaders.”
If Feinstein remains in the Senate as announced until the end of her current term, she will be 91 when she leaves. In the United States, very old politicians are currently prominent. For example, President Biden is 80 years old, and Democrat and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi are 82.