On July 14, the California Democratic Party endorsed liberal state lawmaker Kevin de León for Senate, offering a stunning rebuke to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bid for reelection this year.
The loss of Feinstein, a 25-year incumbent who was running for a fifth full term, is a sign the party is shifting further left, as de León is the main author of SB54, a controversial sanctuary state law. The endorsement draws similar parallels to Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s surprise win over long-serving Rep. Joe Crowley in the New York primary in June.Voting results revealed a total of 217 delegates (65 percent) voted for de León, while only 22 (7 percent) voted for Feinstein. Over 60 percent of the vote is needed to secure an endorsement. Another 94 delegates (28 percent) voted for no endorsement.