The walking Dead?
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
At 83, Feinstein is the oldest member of the U.S. Senate, and with 24 years under her belt, the California political establishment is buzzing about whether she will seek another six-year term.
Feinstein has sent mixed messages about her plans, and suggested last April that she needed to get closer to the election before announcing her decision.
“I’ve got two years and nine months. Ask me that in about a year,” Feinstein said with a grin during a late March meeting with Los Angeles Times editors and reporters. “I’ll give you the answer then.”
She has about $2.6 million in the bank, a small war chest for a fifth-term senator two years out, but that might be because donors have been focused on the presidential race.
Feinstein also likely will consider the health of her husband, investment banker and UC Regent Richard Blum, who began treatment for lung cancer during the summer.
Her new position as the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee may keep her in Washington. Feinstein is the first woman to hold the job, and she is raring for fights with Republicans and the administration of President-elect Donald Trump over judicial nominees, especially for the Supreme Court.
If Feinstein does retire, her decision could shake up a few congressional districts because several members and state officials are expected to sign up to run for her office.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco)
With 30 years in office, the 76-year-old Pelosi is the longest-serving member of the California House delegation.
But she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Picked by colleagues in November to lead House Democrats for the eighth time, Pelosi will be one of the most visible foils for the Trump administration.
Beckmann said it’s a testament to Pelosi that she has stayed in leadership so long, but other members are clamoring for a chance to lead the caucus.
“Given the ages and tenures of the current Democratic leaders, I suspect this will be Mrs. Pelosi’s final stint as Democratic leader,” Beckmann said.
Pelosi has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run again in 2018, but don’t read too much into that. Many long-serving members routinely file documents as soon as an election ends because it allows them to start raising money immediately. Nearly half of California’s 55 members have filed statements of candidacy for 2018 since Nov. 8.
If Pelosi does decide to retire, keep an eye on her close friend 74-year-old Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Menlo Park), who has represented her Northern California district for 24 years and might decide to retire too.
Rest of this is about Cali State House losers.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-member-retire-watch-20161229-story.html
