She’s joining the race to win California’s Senate seat.
California Democrat Rep. Barbara Lee plans to announce that she will be running for Senate, at the end of the month, officially launching her campaign during Black History Month.
According to The Washington Post, Lee is preparing to enter a battle for the seat that is currently held by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, where her campaign will bring light to the absence of Black women in the U.S. Senate. Reportedly, there are no current Black women serving in the U.S. Senate following the departure of Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Currently, there are no Black women in the U.S. Senate, and there have only been two in our almost 250-year history. Our voices are sorely missed in the Senate,” Lee said. “My lived experience as a Black woman making true progressive change for Californians will give a voice in the U.S. to those who are currently voiceless,” she added.
“I have spent my life fighting against discrimination and speaking on behalf of people of color, underserved communities, and those living in poverty. It is why I have worked for and achieved progressive change my entire life,” Lee said in a statement to ABC News.
The race for the California seat amongst Democrats is predicted to be one of the most competitive, as many prominent politicians, including Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, have already launched campaigns for the seat.
Sources predict that Lee is possibly facing an uphill battle if she decides to go forward with her plans to run for the California Senate seat.
Reportedly, Feinstein, 89, the oldest serving senator who has served in her California seat since 1992, announcedannounced that she will not seek re-election in 2024.
Other predictions believe two Democrats could possibly be battling during the general election.