October 18th 2023.
United States Congresswoman Barbara Lee of Oakland has been receiving major co-signs from political leaders. However, the California representative is struggling to raise the funds necessary to move ahead of her opponents in the race for Senate, Yahoo News reports.
Lee has major endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus, former Georgia General Assembly House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, and a verbal promise from California Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the late Dianne Feinstein’s vacant senator seat with a Black woman. But, her campaign has faced an uphill battle against Democratic candidates Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Adam Schiff. According to the outlet, from July to October, Lee’s campaign reported $1.1 million in expenses, which is $77,000 less than what she’s been able to raise. Her campaign currently has $1.3 million in funds.
Democratic strategist Bill Wong has commented on the situation. He believes that if Lee can't raise enough money to reach all the other crossover voters to differentiate herself, it will be difficult for her to make it. Wong states that both Schiff and Porter come into the race as some of the Democratic party's most lucrative fundraisers, which may be influencing Lee's willingness to spend early to help raise her public profile. He believes she may be feeling that she has to spend early to build a fundraising base and to reach new donors.
Gov. Newsom has thrown his support behind Laphonza Butler, who hasn’t yet confirmed her decision to run. In October, Butler said, “I genuinely don’t know. I want to be focused on honoring the legacy of Sen. Feinstein. I want to devote my time and energy to serving the people of California.”
In California, nearly half of the registered voters identify as Democrats; therefore, it is expected that the state will elect another of the party’s candidates in the March 2024 primary. However, it remains to be seen if Lee will be the appointee. With the right amount of fundraising and support, she may be able to make a historic victory.
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