Laphonza Butler
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Laphonza Butler (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. Senate from California. She assumed office on October 3, 2023. She left office on December 8, 2024.
On October 1, 2023, Politico reported that Governor Gavin Newsom (D) had chosen Butler to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D).[1] Butler was sworn in on October 3, 2023.[2]
Biography
Laphonza Butler was born in Magnolia, Mississippi. Butler's professional experience includes working as a union organizer and president, political campaign consultant and strategist, and political action committee executive. She earned a B.A in political science from Jackson State University in 2001.[3]
Key votes
- See also: Key votes
Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.
Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025
The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, and ended on January 3, 2025. At the start of the session, Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.
| Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote | Bill and description | Status | ||||||
 Yea |
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Passed (87-13)
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| Yea |
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Passed (87-11)
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| Yea |
|
Passed (75-22)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Passed (88-4)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Passed (51-48)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Passed (51-49)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Passed (79-18)
| ||||||
 Nay |
|
Failed (43-50)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Failed (51-44)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Passed (78-18)
| ||||||
| Yea |
|
Failed (48-44)
| ||||||
Elections
2024
Laphonza Butler did not file to run for re-election.
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
2016 Democratic National Convention
Butler was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from California.[15] Butler was one of 75 superdelegates from California. Superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention were not bound by the results of their state’s primary or caucus to support a specific presidential candidate. Butler supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.[16] Clinton formally won the Democratic nomination for president on July 26, 2016.[17]
What is a superdelegate?
Superdelegates in 2016 were automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention, meaning that, unlike regular delegates, they were not elected to this position. Also unlike regular delegates, they were not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate, and they were not bound by the results of their state's presidential primary election or caucus. In 2016, superdelegates included members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, and distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. All superdelegates were free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.[18]
California primary results
In California's Democratic primary—which took place on June 7, 2016—475 pledged delegates were at stake, more than any other state in the 2016 Democratic nominating season. California's delegate haul represented almost 20 percent of the 2,383 delegates needed to secure the Democratic nomination and almost 12 percent of the 4,038 pledged delegates up for grabs in 2016. Polling from March and April showed Hillary Clinton with a lead in California over rival Bernie Sanders, ranging from six to 14 points. In 2008, Clinton won the state over Barack Obama 52 to 43 percent. California's pledged delegates were allocated on a proportional basis. California's 73 superdelegates were not required to adhere to the results of the June 7 primary election.
| California Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
 Hillary Clinton |
54.2% | 2,580,865 | 269 | |
| Bernie Sanders | 44.9% | 2,135,718 | 206 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 0.2% | 7,757 | 0 | |
| Henry Hewes | 0.1% | 6,997 | 0 | |
| Keith Judd | 0.1% | 6,771 | 0 | |
| Michael Steinberg | 0.2% | 10,247 | 0 | |
| Willie Wilson | 0.2% | 11,260 | 0 | |
| Totals | 4,759,615 | 475 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and California Secretary of State | ||||
Delegate allocation
California had 551 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 476 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.[19][20]
Seventy-five party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.[19][21]
See also
- Democratic National Convention, 2016
- 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules
- Presidential election, 2016
- Presidential candidates, 2016
- Presidential election in California, 2016
- United States Senate
- United States congressional delegations from California
- List of United States Senators from California
External links
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Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "Newsom picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein replacement," October 1, 2023
- ↑ The Hill, "Laphonza Butler sworn in to replace Feinstein in Senate," accessed October 3, 2023
- ↑ United States Senate, "Laphonza Butler, Senator for California" accessed November 6, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2670 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024," accessed February 27, 2024
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.6363 - Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024," accessed February 27, 2024
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.4366 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024," accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024," accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.863- Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors." accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.863- Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors." accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.815 - Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes." accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.4361 - Border Act of 2024" accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.4445 - Right to IVF Act," accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.9747 - Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025" accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.7024 - Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024," accessed February 13, 2025
- ↑ Ballotpedia's list of superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention is based on our own research and lists provided by the Democratic National Committee to Vox.com in February 2016 and May 2016. If you think we made an error in identifying superdelegates, please send an email to [email protected].
- ↑ Los Cerritos News, “Hillary for California Expands Campaign Operations, Hires Key Advisors and Mobilization Team,” accessed July 6, 2016
- ↑ To find out which candidate a superdelegate supported, Ballotpedia sought out public statements from the superdelegate in other media outlets and on social media. If we were unable to find a public statement that clearly articulated which candidate the superdelegate supported at the national convention, we listed that superdelegate as "unknown." If you believe we made an error in identifying which candidate a superdelegate supported, please email us at [email protected].
- ↑ Congressional Research Service, "The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions," December 30, 2015
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Democratic National Committee, "2016 Democratic National Convention Delegate/Alternate Allocation," updated February 19, 2016
- ↑ The Green Papers, "2016 Democratic Convention," accessed May 7, 2021
- ↑ Democratic National Committee's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection, "Unpledged Delegates -- By State," May 27, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dianne Feinstein (D) |
U.S. Senate California 2023-2024 |
Succeeded by Adam Schiff (D) |
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