Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) called for Sen. Dianne Feinstein‘s resignation in a Twitter post on Wednesday.
“We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty,” said the representative for California’s 17th congressional district.
“While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties,” Khanna said on Twitter. “Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”
Feinstein, 89, is not seeking reelection in 2024. Khanna was rumored to be a potential candidate for the seat, but has decided against running.
Feinstein contracted shingles in early March, keeping her from her senatorial duties for over two months even though her staff stated that she planned to return in a matter of weeks. The senator has also been grappling with cognitive issues for at least the last few years.
Politico reported on Wednesday that three people who visited Feinstein in recent weeks said that “her diagnosis appears to have taken a heavy toll on her.”
Currently, none of her confidants or aides have offered a date for her return to the Senate.
Her absence has been felt in the Democratic-led Senate, where her vote on the Judiciary Committee is needed to advance President Joe Biden’s judicial nominations.
Feinstein, the longest-serving woman in Senate’s history, announced in mid-February that she will not seek reelection, but that she intended to complete her current term.
A trio of California Democrats has already started preparing for a contested Senate seat. Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee have all declared their candidacies for the seat, which Feinstein has held since 1992.
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