Tributes Pour In Following Death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) questions Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Oct. 13, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Pool via AP)

Reactions from senators and others poured in on Sept. 29 following the death of longtime Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) at the age of 90.

Ms. Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history and California’s longest-serving U.S. senator, died at her home in Washington on Sept. 28, her chief of staff, James Sauls, said in a statement. In February, Ms. Feinstein had announced that she wouldn’t seek reelection.

On the Senate floor, where a vase of flowers was placed on a black cloth on Ms. Feinstein’s desk, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Ms. Feinstein “was one of the most amazing people who ever graced the Senate, who ever graced the country.”

“She had so many amazing, wonderful qualities wrapped up in one incredible human being,” he said. “She was smart, she was strong, she was brave, she was compassionate. But maybe the trait that stood out most of all was her amazing integrity.”

Also on the Senate floor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) paid tribute to Ms. Feinstein, whom he called a friend, as “an incredibly effective person at every ... level.”

President Joe Biden called Ms. Feinstein “a pioneering American,” “a true trailblazer,” and “a cherished friend.”

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“Often the only woman in the room, Dianne was a role model for so many Americans—a job she took seriously by mentoring countless public servants, many of whom now serve in my administration,” he said.

“She had an immense impact on younger female leaders for whom she generously opened doors,” he continued. “Dianne was tough, sharp, always prepared, and never pulled a punch, but she was also a kind and loyal friend, and that’s what Jill and I will miss the most.”

Former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at an event that Ms. Feinstein was not only a friend but also “a true trailblazer” who sought to find common ground and was “fearless” but “open.”

Along with Mr. Schumer and Mr. McConnell, other senators paid their respects to Ms. Feinstein.

“I’ve said it before: you can’t tell the story of CA—or American politics—without the trailblazing career of Senator Dianne Feinstein. A champion, an icon, and most importantly, a friend—Dianne will be dearly missed. Angela and I are keeping the Feinstein family in our prayers,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Ann and I are heartbroken by the loss of Sen. Dianne Feinstein,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wrote on X. “Dianne’s more than 30 years in the Senate reflect a life of service to her state of California and our nation. We are praying for her family, staff and all who knew and loved her.”

“Senator Dianne Feinstein’s legacy in the Senate is marked by determination, a love for California and a willingness to extend her hand across the aisle to reach a deal,” Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Dianne’s decades of service shouldn’t be defined by the end or the beginning of her career, but by a lifetime of service and fearless leadership in the face of difficulties and adversity.”

“Dianne Feinstein lived a life of service, blazing a path for women in the Senate and girls across our nation,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) wrote on X. “In the face of tragedy and tribulations throughout her career, she was fearless. Our prayers are with her loved ones.”

Members of the House of Representatives also chimed in.

“Senator Feinstein broke barriers and blazed the trail for women,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said. “Her career by any standard was historic.”

“This is a sad day for California and the nation,” Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) wrote on X. “Sen. Feinstein was a champion for our state, and served as the voice of a political revolution for women. My profound condolences go out to her family and loved ones.”

“I’m saddened by the loss of Senator Dianne Feinstein,” Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) wrote on X. “We regularly worked together on common ground to represent our constituents’ needs and wellbeing. From her early roots as the 1951 Rodeo Queen at Cow Palace, it’s not likely there will ever be another like her in CA politics.”

Before her election to the Senate in 1992, Feinstein served as the first female mayor of San Francisco and, prior to that, was a member and president of the city’s Board of Supervisors.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) will appoint Ms. Feinstein’s successor. He has pledged in the past to appoint a black woman to serve out the rest of Ms. Feinstein’s term, which ends in January 2025, if she were to vacate her office amid questions about her health.

Mr. Newsom has said he would appoint an interim successor who wouldn’t be any of the candidates who are campaigning for the role in next year’s election.

In the meantime, the Democrats still control the Senate, but with a 50–49 majority.