Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving female US senator in history, has died. She was 90.
Feinstein, who represented California for three decades in the Senate, died Thursday night. Three people familiar with the situation confirmed her death to The Associated Press on Friday.
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Feinstein, who was elected to the Senate in 1992, was the oldest member of the Senate and the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history.
Feinstein had recently been struggling with her health, raising concerns about her ability to work effectively in Congress. Most recently, she was absent from the Senate for nearly 3 months as she struggled with shingles, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and encephalitis.
Feinstein announced in February that she would not run for a sixth term in 2024.
Feinstein was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state -- including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control -- but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground, the AP reported.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called Feinstein a "political giant. "
"She broke down barriers and glass ceilings, but never lost her belief in the spirit of political cooperation," he said.
"Senator Feinstein was a trailblazer on whose shoulders I, and women in elected office all across America, will always stand," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to name her replacement.