Senator Dianne Feinstein of California passed away early Friday at the age of 90.
Feinstein, who had served as California’s longest serving U.S. Senator, was a fixture of Democratic politics, and was a trailblazer on the San Francisco political scene after taking over as mayor, following the assassination of her predecessor George Moscone.
In recent years, Feinstein had been suffering from various health impairments, including memory deficiencies, mobility issues, among other things, which prompted many to call on her to step down, which she did not heed to.
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) now has the power to appoint a senator in Feinstein’s seat. Newsom had committed to appointing a black woman in the event that he had to appoint someone to fill her seat.