Senate colleagues honor ‘trailblazer’ Feinstein

The Senate saw an outpouring of support for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) family Friday following her death, with colleagues from both parties sharing memories of the longtime lawmaker and praising her tenure.

Dozens of senators touted Feinstein’s pioneering legacy rising through California politics and breaking ground as the first woman to hold key roles in the Senate, as well as her legacy working on issues such as women’s rights and gun violence.

“I know how we always refer to each other as ‘my friend from’ whatever state it is. Honestly, frequently that’s not true. But Elaine and I were actual friends of Dick and Dianne,” Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said in a statement, referring to his wife and Feinstein’s late husband.

“Those of us fortunate to call Senator Feinstein our colleague can say we served alongside the longest-serving female Senator in American history,” McConnell added. “Dianne was a trailblazer, and her beloved home state of California and our entire nation are better for her dogged advocacy and diligent service.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), in a speech on the Senate floor, choked up when lauding Feinstein, calling her “a friend, a hero for so many … a leader who changed the nature of the Senate and who changed the fabric of the nation, America, for the better.”

Feinstein, 90, broke ground for women in politics. She was elected in 1992 in the Senate’s “year of the woman” along with Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and former Sens. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

Her political tenure included a number of firsts, including becoming the first woman to serve as mayor of San Francisco, the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from California and the first woman to chair the powerful Senate Rules and Intelligence committees.

“She was an icon to me — for her strength, how she threw open the Senate doors for women,” Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith (D) said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding Feinstein “has been part of my political consciousness since I was a young woman at Stanford.”

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) called her “a trailblazing titan in the U.S. Senate and in our nation’s history,” having “paved the way for countless women and girls to stand up and make a difference. We’ll always cherish her life and legacy, and we’ll miss her dearly.”

“In the face of tragedy and tribulations throughout her career, she was fearless,” Alabama Sen. Katie Britt (R) wrote on X.

Many colleagues praised the moderate California Democrat for her congeniality and willingness to work closely with members across the aisle.

“We didn’t agree politically, but she was a delight to serve with,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), who led the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development with Feinstein and served alongside her on the Judiciary panel, wrote on X.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who served with Feinstein on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, remembered her as “intelligent” and “hard working,” adding she “always treated everyone with courtesy & respect.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) called her a “very gracious person.”

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) dubbed her a “giant of the Senate.”

The Senate’s oldest member, Feinstein cast her final vote Thursday morning, hours before she died: a “yes” vote on a measure to proceed to a bill to prevent a government shutdown.

She announced in February that she would retire at the end of her term and made her way around the Capitol using a wheelchair in recent months after battling shingles earlier this year.

Several colleagues praised Feinstein for helping newer members over the years navigate life in the upper chamber, including on the Judiciary Committee. She was the first woman to serve on the committee and the first woman to be ranking Democrat on the panel.

“When I first came to the Senate in 2010 and joined her on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne was a gracious and welcoming colleague,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) wrote on X.

“No one was more welcoming when I came to the Senate than she, and no one was a better example,” added Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). “She was tough, incredibly smart, and effective. Always willing to work across the aisle to get things done, she was a person of unquestioned integrity. I admired her and will miss her in the Senate.”

Numerous colleagues praised her work on particular issues, with North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis (R) calling her “one of the most effective legislators in recent memory.”

Feinstein was “a trailblazer in every sense of the word,” wrote Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), adding “her legacy on everything from women’s rights to gun safety to national security is tremendous.”

“She was an extraordinary advocate for San Francisco, for California, and for the West,” wrote Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) wrote in a post that despite their differences, “I enjoyed our work together to protect songwriters and take on Big Tech.”

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said he was “grateful” to work with Feinstein on immigration reform legislation and praised her for having “passionately defended civil rights.”

“She leaves behind an incredible legacy — breaking barriers for women and taking real action against gun violence,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) wrote.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the longest-serving Senate Republican, reflected on the pair’s “wonderful working relationship” spanning decades.

“She’s a true public servant I’ll miss her,” he wrote.