Race For Feinstein Senate Seat Includes 31 Rivals

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — California voters planning to exercise their right Tuesday have their work cut out for them when choosing their primary candidates, and that includes the race for U.S. Senate, where a long-time incumbent will try to roll over 31 rivals with at least one being a serious challenge.

"I try to work with both sides to get something done for California," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said.

"I know this is a tough battle, when you go against a billionaire incumbent from Washington," challenger and California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon said.

Overshadowed by Trump administration events in Washington and a six-candidate free-for-all for governor, 32 candidates are listed on the primary ballot for California senator.

After Tuesday, that number will be whittled to two. The experts say Feinstein and De Leon, both Democrats, are the favorites.

And in some ways, their battle mirrors the debate going on in the Democratic party.

"My seniority pays dividends for the state," Feinstein said. "I've been able to get bills through on water, transportation dollars, major dollars for Los Angeles, for the LA VA, for homeless and I think I've been a strong and positive legislator."

But De Leon has a different take.

"We no longer have the luxury of seniority in Washington, D.C., because seniority means nothing unless you use it," he said.

And, of course, the approach to President Donald Trump is likely to be one of the hottest issues among Democrats in this campaign and across the nation. In this case, De Leon is the aggressor.

"I don't believe that we should have an apologist, someone who believes that we should be patient and perhaps wait to see if he can be a good president," he said.

"If you want to get something done, you also need a presidential signature on it," Feinstein counters. "Now that doesn't mean I'm not critical. That doesn't mean that I like what's happening. But it does mean that I have to work with people. I want to get the job done."

With just a few days to go before the California primary, a new poll just out may be causing some concern in the De Leon camp. It shows that De Leon holds a lead of only a few points over two Republicans in the race for the second spot on the November ballot.