Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) announced Thursday that she will not seek election to a full term in the U.S. Senate in 2024, despite being seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. In a statement, Butler said she had “spent the past 16 days pursuing my own clarity” and that “knowing you can win a campaign doesn't always mean you should run a campaign.” This decision opens up the race for the U.S. Senate seat in California, with a number of candidates expected to enter the race in the coming months.
