Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) is toying with the idea of running for the US Senate. While conservatives cringe at the thought of it all, it seems Democrats are encouraging him to give it a whirl. At least that’s the message the California legislator is dropping on eager media ears. But, of course, all this posturing hinges on whether Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) takes a final curtain call to make room for him.
Mr. Schiff spoke with a local California Fox affiliate about – get this – saving democracy:
“It’s a great responsibility, and in terms of continuing the work I’ve been doing to protect our democracy and fight for an economy that works for everyone, that would also give me a chance to try to meet those objectives for all Californians.”
Let’s face facts: Republicans are itching to make his life on the Hill a living hell. However, the Senate could be a bit friendlier – at least for the next two years.
What Would This Schiff Show Look Like?
Not much would have to change for Adam Schiff to ascend to the US Senate, ideologically. His top priority since 2015 has been to hound Donald Trump. And throughout Trump’s entire presidency, and still today, Schiff pursues that mission. Even though he has quite a pedigree, from education to career successes, Schiff, like most Democrats, just seems to want to find new ways to irritate half of America by flogging number 45.
Currently, the lawmaker chairs the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He previously served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Schiff voted in favor of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. And, like most elected officials of his time, he didn’t have the best intelligence on which to rely. As he said years later, “Unfortunately, our intelligence was dead wrong on that, on Saddam at that time. The vote set in motion a cascading series of events which have [had] disastrous consequences.” Ironically, he and former President Trump were in lockstep on that decades-long mess. He also complained that investigating the Benghazi attack was a “colossal waste of time.” Still, he agreed to sit on the select committee looking into the horrors of the Sept. 11, 2012, murder of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
Adam Schiff (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
It seems Mr. Schiff is in the right place at the right time. But will he be able to transition to the upper chamber?
Sen Adam Schiff – Is It Possible?
Two significant hurdles could determine whether Schiff stays in his comfort zone in the lower chamber: Sen. Feinstein and, of all people, California Governor Gavin Newsom. There have been rumblings that some Democratic Party officials are asking for cognitive tests for their old gal, who is 89 years old. Feinstein doesn’t feel the need to comply and she has pushed her decision to seek reelection to the Spring of 2023. However, if the fates step in and Feinstein steps down before her term expires, Newsom asserted to Joy Reid of MSNBC that he would name a black woman to fill her position.
That would cause some heartburn for the man-in-waiting. But don’t count Mr. Schiff out on optics alone: He has amassed more than $21 million in his war chest – the most of any candidate in this cycle – and would be able to launch a brutal campaign against whoever tries to shoe-horn their way in first.
