Feinstein Falls at Home, Visits Hospital

(TotalConservative.com) – Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) fell at her home and visited the hospital as a precaution. Her scans were clear, and she returned home. However, this continues to raise concerns about the 90-year-old senator’s health since her recent contraction of shingles and encephalitis this year, leaving her frail. Now, her daughter holds power of attorney that gives some say over the senator’s affairs, at least on legal matters. Despite this, power of attorney is not always because of the inability to make one’s own decisions but is still part of estate planning.

Earlier this year, Sen. Feinstein announced that she would not be running for re-election to Congress in 2024, signaling the end of her Senate career, which began in 1992. Despite this announcement and her deteriorating health, she has rejected calls to resign, insisting on remaining until the end of her term in January 2025. In a statement, she asserted that she still wished to enact legislation to combat wildfires, mitigate droughts, deal with the homelessness crisis, and make healthcare affordable. However, Feinstein has been absent from the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Republican lawmakers have prevented a replacement, allowing for gridlock on some of Biden’s judicial nominees whom Republicans disagree with. With an already razor-thin Senate majority, Democrats are concerned that Feinstein could hinder some of their efforts, and some House Democrats have called for her resignation.

Feinstein’s seat already has many California Democrats vying to be the next Senator, as it has become rare for any Senate seat to be incumbent-free. This rarity is because incumbents have a vast advantage, with the 2022 midterms showing at least a 98% win rate for incumbents in Congress. Candidates to replace Feinstein in the Democratic primary include Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Barbara Lee, and Rep. Katie Porter. According to recent Federal Elections Committee data, Schiff has more cash than any presidential campaign, showing his campaign lead by a significant margin on opponents for the seat. Despite the race to replace her, Feinstein’s health will continue to shape current Senate affairs.