Dianne Feinstein's 1992 election brought in the 'Year of the Woman'
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the announcement by longtime U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein Tuesday that she wouldn't run again in 2024, two of her former colleagues reflected on her legacy.
Dianne Feinstein first held elected office on the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco in 1969, then became the first woman to be president of the board in the 1970s. The course of her political career drastically shifted in 1978 as she announced the assassinations of then-mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Feinstein became mayor in the aftermath, a position she held for the next 10 years.
"Diane Feinstein has been incredibly significant in this city pre-mayorship, post-mayorship," said former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. He was serving in the California Assembly as Feinstein was gaining political momentum in San Francisco.
"I know that at all times Dianne would do what she thinks is in the best interest of public policy making," said Brown.
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During the AIDS crisis, then-Mayor Feinstein earmarked $3.5 million dollars for the city's AIDS budget, which was more than President Reagan allocated for the entire country.
In 1990 Feinstein ran unsuccessfully for Governor of California against Pete Wilson, then two years later exploded onto the national scene winning her bid for Senate in 1992 - a position she's held ever since.
"Diane always was and always will be probably the most viable, sensible politician on the democratic side to run statewide," said Brown.
In 1992, Feinstein and former California Sen. Barbara Boxer made history by both getting elected to the U.S. Senate. Boxer said she will never forget the way Feinstein helped her during that Senate run.
"The prejudice [against women] was just ridiculous," said Boxer. "People would say to me, 'Well, I'm voting for Dianne. I just couldn't vote for another woman, though.'"
Boxer says she remembers Feinstein mostly for her tenacity, especially when it came to her tireless push for the 1994 assault weapons ban -- something that was not particularly politically popular when it was first proposed. ent
"She never gave up and everyone said, oh you'll never get the votes, you'll never, the NRA is against you, and I was there in so many of those meetings where she said we're not giving up," Boxer said.
When she retires Senator Feinstein will have served more than 30 years as a U.S. Senator. During her tenure, she became the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
