A familiar name among Los Angeles television news viewers entered the race for U.S. Senate.
TV newscaster Christina Pascucci, who worked at KTLA and FOX11, announced her candidacy this week to fill the seat formerly held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. She joins an already crowded field in the 2024 contest that includes Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Barbara Lee, the top Democrats, and former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey, a Republican.
The trailblazing Feinstein died Sept. 29 at age 90. She had announced she would not seek another term.
Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Democratic insider and former labor leader Laphonza Butler to fill the remainder of Feinstein's current term, which ends in 2025. Butler hasn't announced whether she will seek the position in the 2024 election.
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Pascucci has not run for public office before. In a sit-down interview with NBC4, Pascucci said she's running as an "independent Democrat" whose views are shaped in part from growing up with two Republican parents. She said she would be willing to reach across the aisle "to get meaningful legislation done."
“I believe Californians want a choice. They are excited about an aspirational leader who can lead us beyond this polarization we see plaguing our country," Pascucci said.
Among her priorities would be tackling homelessness, mental health issues, education, immigration reform and border protection.
Pascucci noted that her experience as a reporter covering pressing issues like homelessness gives her first-hand knowledge of the things Californians care about. She admitted her campaign is a long shot, however.
“The only thing crazier than not jumping in this late would be not jumping in at all, because I have to fight for what I believe is possible for California and for this country,” she said in an interview with Politico.
Pascucci also announced she is 18 weeks pregnant with a baby girl. Asked whether she thought the prospect of giving birth around the time of the state primary might impede her, she pointed to former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as an example of a leader who was effective despite being pregnant and giving birth while in office.
If anything, Pascucci added, being pregnant serves as further encouragement to seek office because she would be directly fighting for her daughter's future.
“I want to create the California that we all dream of and aspire to. And recently finding out that I’m pregnant, I want my daughter to be able to fulfill her potential in this California, a place where she feels safe, where she’s getting quality education," Pascucci said.
The field is geared toward the March 5 all-party primary in California. The top two vote-getters of any party advance from the primary to the general election, meaning two of the three Democrats could end up squaring off in the general election.
The winner of the general election would fill the seat of the late Feinstein, who was elected to the Senate in 1992. She was the longest-serving female senator and oldest sitting U.S. senator.
