Schiff kicks off California Senate bid

Rep. Adam Schiff kicked off a long-awaited campaign for Senate Thursday, entering a crowded field against an incumbent who still hasn't announced her reelection plans.

The announcement came just days after Speaker Kevin McCarthy officially blocked the Californian from his spot as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Schiff also held high-profile roles in previous Congresses, including on the select panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection and heading the first impeachment investigation against former President Donald Trump.

“The fight for our democracy and working families is part of the same struggle,” Schiff said in a statement. “Because if our democracy isn’t delivering for Americans, they’ll look for alternatives, like a dangerous demagogue who promises that he alone can fix it.”

Schiff is entering a crowded Senate field that’s likely to test alliances in the nation’s largest state. Incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), has repeatedly declined to announce her plans yet, but Democrats largely expect the 89-year-old Senate veteran to step aside.

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) already entered the race and is trying to carve out a progressive lane, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), a longtime liberal leader, has privately signaled to her colleagues she intends to run, though she has not yet made a formal announcement.

Top House Democratic leaders are signaling they'll remain neutral in the contest between the California heavyweights.

“I think there are a few members of the caucus who are running for the United States Senate and I wish all of them well," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a brief interview Thursday. “We’re going to miss them, but I wish all of them well in their political endeavors.”