In office from 1992 to 2023, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) was California’s longest serving senator in history. (photo courtesy of the office of Dianne Feinstein)

For 31 years she represented California in the United States Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) was responsible for breaking many glass ceilings. With her death at 90 on Sept. 28, Feinstein leaves a legacy as the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history, as well as being the longest-serving California senator. Until her last day, she was casting votes in the chamber.

“Sen. Feinstein was a trailblazer on whose shoulders I, and women in elected office all across America, will always stand,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “She worked harder than anyone I knew on Capitol Hill, and she will be remembered as one of the most effective and impactful senators in American history.”

“She meant the world to me as a glass-ceiling-shattering, pioneering woman in politics – tenacious and unafraid to keep going, relentlessly fighting for equality and human rights,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, 3rd District, said. “Her leadership has shaped my life and public service. Her impact is profound and will be felt for generations.”

Earlier this year, Feinstein announced her intention to retire at the end of her fifth senatorial term in 2024, and a host of candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for her seat, including Reps. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) and Adam Schiff (D-Burbank).

“The nation has truly lost a giant of the U.S. Senate, California has lost its trail-blazing leader, and I lost a real friend and mentor,” Schiff said. “Sen. Dianne Feinstein was one of the finest legislators we have ever seen, and her accomplishments made our country and world a better place.”

“She paved the way for a historic number of women to have a seat at the table and a voice in Congress,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) said. “I am grateful to have known Sen. Feinstein. It was an honor and a privilege to have worked with her on many issues impacting Californians – including helping our veterans. She had an incredible career guided by a love of our country and American values. We’re a better nation because of her leadership. I join her family, friends and our country in mourning her.”

Prior to her election to the senate in 1992, Feinstein was mayor of San Francisco from 1978-1988, a role she took on after the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk. Before becoming mayor, she had been a member of the city’s board of supervisors.

“Sen. Feinstein’s grit and heart enabled her to bring her city together after she was thrust into San Francisco’s mayor’s office in the wake of a horrific tragedy,” Bass said.

She became a stalwart supporter of gun control legislation and authored the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 1994. As a senator, she chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Rules Committee and served on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“She saved countless lives through her work to keep assault weapons off of our streets, and she was a patriot who boldly stood against the use of torture and, in doing so, reminded America what we are supposed to stand for,” Bass said “She loved all of California, and led landmark legislation to create Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and protect millions of acres across our desert landscape representing the largest effort to protect public lands in the lower 48 states.”

Feinstein was also in the trenches of the AIDS crisis, helping to secure funding for research and treatment, and she was also helped secure funding for the expansion of Metro.

“I hope when the Wilshire subway extension opens we will all take a moment to thank Dianne Feinstein for believing in L.A. and fighting for our transit dreams,” former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

During the last year, Feinstein had a series of health issues, including a bout with shingles. After an absence, she had returned to the senate and spent her last few months working in Washington, D.C.

“She was a fighter – for the city, the state and the country she loved,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “Every race she won, she made history, but her story wasn’t just about being the first woman in a particular political office, it was what she did for California, and for America, with that power once she earned it. That’s what she should be remembered for.”

Newsom will be appointing a replacement for Feinstein in the coming days. The next senate election for the seat will be held in November 2024.

“Sen. Dianne Feinstein represented a world of possibility for women in leadership,” West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne said. “She went on to leave a legacy of fighting for equity and justice for all.”