Khanna won’t run for Senate, endorses Barbara Lee

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Sunday announced he won’t make a run for Senate next year and instead endorsed Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-Calif.) campaign to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). 

“I have concluded that despite a lot of enthusiasm from Bernie folks, the best place, the most exciting place … for me to serve as a progressive is in the House of Representatives,” Khanna said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” referring to progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

“And I’m honored to be co-chairing Barbara Lee’s campaign for the Senate and endorsing her today.”

Khanna lauded Lee, who announced a bid for Feinstein’s Senate seat last month, as a “strong anti-war senator” and “unique voice.”

“We don’t have a single African American woman in the United States Senate. She would fill that role. She’ll be the only candidate from Northern California and she’s going to I think consolidate a lot of progressives. The other two are formidable candidates, but I think Barbara is going to be very, very strong.”

Democratic California Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter are also in the race with Lee.

–Developing