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Person

Laphonza Butler

Nationality:

American
Born:

1979
Occupation:

Junior U.S Senator (D-CA) (nominated in 2023)

President, Emily’s List (Former)

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Laphonza Butler is a left-of center Democratic activist with a history of work as a labor organizer and abortion activist. Buter worked as president of EMILY’s List, the prominent Democratic donor collaborative from September 2021 to October 2023. 1 Butler left EMILY’s List in October 2023, to accept a nomination to the United States Senate as California’s junior senator; a nomination granted by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) in the wake of the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). 2 Butler previously worked as the leader of SEIU Local 2015, California’s largest labor union and as a “senior leader” on Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. 3

As of October 2, 2023, Butler resided in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her spouse, Neneki Lee, and was registered to vote in Maryland as a Democrat. 4

Background and Education

Butler was born May 11, 1979 in Magnolia Mississippi, where she would grow up. Her father, a small business owner, died when she was 16 years old. Her mother worked as a security guard, book keeper, and certified nursing assistant to support Butler and her two siblings.5

Butler graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, where Butler says her professors “instilled in her a penchant for activism and commitment to social justice.” 6

Butler began here career in politics as a labor organizer, working with labor union advocates in Baltimore, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New Haven before moving to California is 2009 where she worked as a labor union organizer for care-givers and in-home nurses. 7 She later moved to Maryland in 2021 to take up her role as president of EMILY’s List. 8

Butler is openly a lesbian, and lives in Maryland with her wife and their daughter. 9

Career

Labor Organizing

Butler’s first positions within organized labor included a seven-year stint as president of SEIU United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW) and a role as division director of the SEIU’s property services division where “she was responsible for the strategic direction of the more than 250,000 janitors, security officers, window cleaners, and food service workers across the country.” 10

In 2013, Butler became president of SEIU Local 2015, the largest labor union in California. Under her leadership, SEIU Local 2015 supported numerous left-of-center legislative campaigns, including a successful effort to raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour, and a bill that raised California’s income taxes.11 SEIU local 2015 endorsed Gavin Newsom’s 2018 campaign for governor. 12

Political Consulting

In 2018, Butler left her role at SEIU Local 2015 to become a partner at SCRB Strategies, a political consulting firm, now known as Bearstar Strategies, that worked extensively with, and was paid generously by, Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign. During Butler’s tenure at SCRB, the firm was reportedly contracted and paid over $185,000 by Uber for their work on a bill that would have allowed Uber drivers to join a union. 13 At SCRB, Butler reportedly “played a central role” in Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign when she served as one of her top advisors during the election. 14 15

Butler quietly left SCRB Strategies in 202o to become head of public affairs for Airbnb, the online vacation rental company. 16 Also serving as director of public policy and campaign for Aribnb, Butler eventually left the company to join EMILY’s List in 2021. 17

Butler seemingly left political consulting behind after joining EMILY’s List in 2021, but the 2023 announcement of her departure from the organization revealed that Butler “was a campaign operative behind the campaign to make the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors all-women for the first time in its history with the election of Holly Mitchell.”18

EMILY’s List

In September 2021, the EMILY’s List board of directors named Laphonza Butler as the organization’s new president. Butler replaced Stephanie Schriock, who had served as President for over a decade.19 Butler led the organization until October 1, 2023, when, following the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) appointed Laphonza Butler to fill the late Senator Feinstein’s seat. 20 Butler left her role at EMILY’s List to accept her nomination to a seat in the U.S Senate by Gov. Gavin Newsom. At the time of her nomination to become California’s junior Senator, reports indicate that Butler resided in Maryland. 21

Other Work and Recognition

Butler has also chaired the University of California African-American Advisory Council, served as a board member for the Children’s Defense Fund and the Bay Area Economic Council Institute, and was named an MIT Community Innovators Lab fellow and an Aspen Institute 2017 Job Quality fellow.22 Butler was also once a director of the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles branch of the Federal Reserve System, and was appointed to the University of California Board of Regents in 2018. Butler served in the position until 2021.23

Butler was also named a “Champion for Change” by President Barack Obama. 24

Appointment to US Senate

On October 1, 2023, following the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) appointed Laphonza Butler to fill the late Senator Feinstein’s seat. 25 Butler left her role at EMILY’s List to take her seat in the Senate. At the time of the nomination, many considered Newsom’s choice to be controversial, since, when the announcent was made, reports indicated that Butler resided in Maryland, not California. 26 Public records showed that Butler registered to vote as a Democrat in Maryland as early as September 2022, living outside of California for a full year before her nomination to become California’s junior senator. When asked about Butler’s residence in Maryland, a spokesperson for Governor Newsom’s office told the New York Post that Butler had moved to Maryland in September 2021 when she had been named president of EMILY’s List, and that Butler “has already re-registered [to vote] in California.” 27

References

  1. “Emilys List Names Laphonza Butler New President.” EMILYs List. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://emilyslist.org/news/emilys-list-names-laphonza-butler-new-president/.
  2. Cadelago, Christopher. “Newsom Picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein Replacement.” POLITICO, October 1, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/01/newsom-senate-pick-butler-00119360.
  3. “Emilys List Names Laphonza Butler New President.” EMILYs List. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://emilyslist.org/news/emilys-list-names-laphonza-butler-new-president/.
  4. Schilke, Rachel. “Incoming California Sen. Laphonza Butler’s Address Shows Her Living in Maryland.” Washington Examiner, October 2, 2023. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/incoming-california-senator-laphonza-butler-living-in-maryland.
  5. Masih, Niha. “Who Is Laphonza Butler, Dianne Feinstein’s Replacement in the Senate?” The Washington Post, October 2, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/02/laphonza-butler-california-dianne-feinstein/.
  6. Barabak, Mark Z. “Column: For Women in Politics, California Strategist Offers a Fresh Face and Added Mission.” Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2021. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-11-05/laphonza-butler-first-black-woman-to-lead-emilys-list.
  7. Barabak, Mark Z. “Column: For Women in Politics, California Strategist Offers a Fresh Face and Added Mission.” Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2021. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-11-05/laphonza-butler-first-black-woman-to-lead-emilys-list.
  8. King, Ryan. “Gavin Newsom Picked Maryland Resident Laphonza Butler to Be California Senator.” New York Post, October 2, 2023. https://nypost.com/2023/10/02/maryland-resident-laphonza-butler-to-be-california-senator/.
  9. Schilke, Rachel. “Incoming California Sen. Laphonza Butler’s Address Shows Her Living in Maryland.” Washington Examiner, October 2, 2023. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/incoming-california-senator-laphonza-butler-living-in-maryland.
  10. “Laphonza Butler.” The Aspen Institute, February 11, 2019. https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/laphonza-butler/.
  11. Barabak, Mark Z. “Column: For Women in Politics, California Strategist Offers a Fresh Face and Added Mission.” Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2021. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-11-05/laphonza-butler-first-black-woman-to-lead-emilys-list.
  12. “Log into Facebook.” Facebook. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://m.facebook.com/seiu2015/posts/2246464625373452/.
  13. Lee Fang. “Governor Newsom Selects Political Operative Laphonza Butler to Replace Sen. Feinstein.” Governor Newsom Selects Political Operative Laphonza Butler to Replace Sen. Feinstein, October 2, 2023. https://www.leefang.com/p/governor-newsom-selects-political.
  14. Barabak, Mark Z. “Column: For Women in Politics, California Strategist Offers a Fresh Face and Added Mission.” Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2021. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-11-05/laphonza-butler-first-black-woman-to-lead-emilys-list.
  15. Abramsky, Sasha. “Who Is the Real Laphonza Butler?” The Nation, October 5, 2023. https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/laphonza-butler-seiu-uber/?custno=&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly%2010.6.2023&utm_term=weekly
  16. “Key Kamala Harris Political Consultant Heads to Top Airbnb Post.” POLITICO. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/04/kamala-harris-political-consultant-airbnb-409154.
  17. Abramsky, Sasha. “Who Is the Real Laphonza Butler?” The Nation, October 5, 2023. https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/laphonza-butler-seiu-uber/?custno=&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly%2010.6.2023&utm_term=weekly
  18. “Emilys List Statements on Laphonza Butler’s Appointment to the U.S. Senate.” EMILYs List, October 2, 2023. https://emilyslist.org/news/emilys-list-statements-on-laphonza-butlers-appointment-to-the-u-s-senate/.
  19. “Emilys List Names Laphonza Butler New President.” EMILYs List. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://emilyslist.org/news/emilys-list-names-laphonza-butler-new-president/.
  20. Cadelago, Christopher. “Newsom Picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein Replacement.” POLITICO, October 1, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/01/newsom-senate-pick-butler-00119360.
  21. Schilke, Rachel. “Incoming California Sen. Laphonza Butler’s Address Shows Her Living in Maryland.” Washington Examiner, October 2, 2023. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/incoming-california-senator-laphonza-butler-living-in-maryland.
  22. “Laphonza Butler.” The Aspen Institute, February 11, 2019. https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/laphonza-butler/.
  23. California, State of. “Governor Gavin Newsom Appoints Laphonza Butler to the U.S. Senate.” California Governor, October 2, 2023. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/01/governor-gavin-newsom-appoints-laphonza-butler-senate/.
  24. California, State of. “Governor Gavin Newsom Appoints Laphonza Butler to the U.S. Senate.” California Governor, October 2, 2023. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/01/governor-gavin-newsom-appoints-laphonza-butler-senate/.
  25. Cadelago, Christopher. “Newsom Picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein Replacement.” POLITICO, October 1, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/01/newsom-senate-pick-butler-00119360.
  26. Schilke, Rachel. “Incoming California Sen. Laphonza Butler’s Address Shows Her Living in Maryland.” Washington Examiner, October 2, 2023. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/incoming-california-senator-laphonza-butler-living-in-maryland.
  27. King, Ryan. “Gavin Newsom Picked Maryland Resident Laphonza Butler to Be California Senator.” New York Post, October 2, 2023. https://nypost.com/2023/10/02/maryland-resident-laphonza-butler-to-be-california-senator/.

Connected Organizations

  1. EMILY’s List (Other Group)
    Former President
  2. SEIU Local 2015 (Labor Union)
    Former Leader
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