The Wall Street Journal: Anti-Trump Democrat to challenge Feinstein for California seat in U.S. Senate

A top Democrat in the California State Legislature and a critic of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced Sunday that he planned to challenge her bid for reelection next year.

Kevin de León, President Pro Tempore in the state Senate, announced his plans over social media. In a biographical video accompanying the announcement, de León talks about lifting people out of poverty and providing jobs and opportunities, and notes he is the youngest child of a single, immigrant mother who “worked her fingers to the bone” cleaning homes when he was a child. He didn’t mention Feinstein by name.

A fellow Democrat, Feinstein has drawn fire from the left for voting to confirm several of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and not ruling out working with the president, while de León has said Californians are owed “resistance” to the Trump agenda, not patience with it.

Bill Carrick, lead strategist for Feinstein’s reelection campaign, said “she’s in a strong political position here in the state.” He noted the endorsements she has picked up since announcing her plans for the coming race last week, including one from fellow Democrat Kamala Harris, the junior U.S. Senator from California.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.

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