(Headline USA) Oprah Winfrey is reportedly on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s short-list of potential appointments should Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., resign before her term is up next year, according to reports.
Newsom is reportedly under pressure from activists to appoint a black woman to Feinstein’s seat if it becomes open, since he did not do so when Vice President Kamala Harris resigned her Senate seat. Winfrey is being “floated in California circles” as an option, as well as Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif.
Winfrey has publicly flirted with running for public office before, even hinting at a presidential run in 2020. But it is not clear whether she has consulted with Newsom’s team on the possible Senate appointment.
The news comes amidst increased pressure for Feinstein to step down following her extended absence from the Senate. She was hospitalized in Feburary for a shingles infection, and only recently returned to Washington, D.C.
But shortly after returning, Feinstein appeared to forget that she had been away at all.
When asked about the reception she received from her colleagues upon her return earlier this month, Feinstein denied that she had been away.
“No, I haven’t been gone,” Feinstein said. “You should follow the — I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working.”
When the reporter asked if Feinstein meant she had still been working remotely, Feinstein insisted that she had been present for all Senate votes.
“No, I’ve been here,” she said. “I’ve been voting. Please. You either know or you don’t know.”
But thus far, Democrat leadership has refrained from publicly calling on Feinstein to resign. The pressure continues to grow, according to Newsom, who said recently that he has been getting nonstop calls from other California politicians with suggestions for who might replace her.
“Emails, calls, texts, people stopping me — I mean, I’m not kidding,” Newsom said. “This is one of the biggest topics here.”
