After announcing the first black, lesbian Senator in history, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the decision was groundbreaking.
Following the announcement by California Gov. Gavin Newsom Oct. 1 that Laphonza Butler would take the Senate seat left vacant by the death of 90-year-old former Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Sept. 28, critics immediately raised alarms about the nominee’s place of residency, as she lives and is registered to vote in Maryland.
Article I of the Constitution regulates the eligibility of individuals for the position of Senator by requiring that all be at least 30 years old and have nine years or more of citizenship, both qualifications that Ms. Butler meets.
The third guideline, however, has some questioning her eligibility, as the document states, “no person shall be a Senator who shall not … when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen.”
Recent records from the Federal Election Commission reveal Ms. Butler’s address to be in Maryland, having lived in the state since leaving California in September 2021 to lead EMILY’s List—a pro-abortion political action committee based in Washington, D.C. and dedicated to electing female politicians.
Such should not impact her ability to serve in the Senate, as she has a long history of living in California and has changed her voter registration, according to the governor’s office.
“[There are] no eligibility concerns,” a spokesperson for Mr. Newsom told The Epoch Times by email Oct. 2. “Ms. Butler is a longtime California resident and homeowner. She has already re-registered to vote in California.”
No clarification was given as to whether Ms. Butler will be relocating to an existing home in the Golden State or continuing to reside in Maryland while serving her role in the Senate.
“If Governor Newsom’s Senate pick is seated, I will work with her however I can,” Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) posted Oct. 2 on X, formerly known as Twitter. “But the Senate has an obligation to carefully assess whether Ms. Butler, a Maryland voter, meets the residency requirements in Article I of the Constitution.”
