Senate

How Feinstein broke ground for women in politics

by Tara Suter - 09/29/23 1:03 PM ET

FILE – San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein and singer Tony Bennett, who sang ” I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” hangs on to the outside of a cable car in San Francisco before taking a test ride, Wednesday, May 2, 1984. Bennett, the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday, July 21, 2023. He was 96. (AP Photo/Jeff Reinking, File)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who died Thursday night in her Washington home, is considered a trailblazer for women in politics.

“Her passing is a great loss for so many, from those who loved and cared for her to the people of California that she dedicated her life to serving,” Feinstein’s chief of staff James Sauls said in a statement.

Feinstein, who died at 90, ascended from local politics to the national stage as the first woman in various roles. Here are some of her accomplishments.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Feinstein was the first woman to serve as president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She began her career as a supervisor in 1969, later becoming its first woman board president in 1978, according to The Associated Press.

Mayor of San Francisco

Feinstein made history as the first female mayor of San Francisco in the wake of the assassination of Mayor George Moscone (D) and Supervisor Harvey Milk (D), according to her biography on her Senate website. Feinstein was then elected for two four-year terms.

Senator from California

Feinstein was elected as the first female senator from California in 1992, also known as the “year of the woman.” Colleagues Sens. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) were also elected that year.

She was the longest-serving woman in the Senate. During her time there, she achieved accomplishments such as negotiating a massive wetlands restoration project along the San Francisco Bay, oversaw “a six-year review of the CIA’s detention and interrogation program” and introduced and helped secure passage of “legislation to extend [the Violence Against Women Act] until 2027,” her biography stated.

Senate committees

Feinstein was the first woman to serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the first woman to serve as a ranking member on the committee, according to her biography. She was also the first woman to chair Senate Rules and Administration Committee along with being the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee.