Dianne Feinstein, Longest Serving US Senator Dies Aged 90

Veteran Senator Dianne Feinstein, a titan of US political history who notched a string of legislative achievements during a trailblazing three-decade career in the Senate, has lost her life at the age of 90.

Feinstein, the Senate’s oldest member, was celebrated as a pioneer for women in politics and a hugely effective legislator. During a career that began in the local California government, she grew to be a tough check on administrations from both parties.

She had already announced her retirement this February as her health worsened and following a number of missteps that threatened her legacy.

Her death is not expected to shift the tight balance of power in the Senate, with the Democratic governor of California appointing a temporary replacement for the remainder of her term, which ends in January 2025.

“Senator Dianne Feinstein was a pioneering American. A true trailblazer. And for Jill and me, a cherished friend,” US President Joe Biden made this known in a statement.

Feinstein’s chief of staff James Sauls hailed her as a rare example of a woman who could call herself “senator, chairman, mayor, wife, mom, and grandmother.”

“Senator Feinstein was a force of nature who made an incredible impact on our country and her home state,” Sauls said in a statement announcing that she had passed away late Thursday.

The Californian, who was widowed last year, became San Francisco’s first female mayor after the fatal shooting in 1978 of city official Harvey Milk, then the country’s only openly gay politician, and mayor George Moscone by a disgruntled former colleague.

Other dramatic moments include surviving an attempted bombing of her home. She was also near the scene of an infamous double murder in San Francisco.