Mass. legislators remember late Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Massachusetts legislators are remembering Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate, whose death was announced Friday. Feinstein was 90 years old and the nation's oldest sitting senator.

On WBUR's Radio Boston, Sen. Elizabeth Warren called Feinstein “tough” and said she worked with “tenacity" on the issues the late senator was passionate about.

“She's the one who led the battle on the assault weapons ban back in the '90s. She's the one who courageously stood up after 9/11 and said the United States is not going to turn to torture, we are going to live our values and hold people accountable on that. She was strong on LGBTQ rights, fought hard for equal marriage,” said Warren. “She leaves a legacy that she should be proud of.”

In a statement, Sen. Ed Markey called Feinstein a “legendary legislator” and reflected on working with her in the Senate.

“For decades, I was fortunate to count Dianne as a partner in protecting the American people from the existential threats of our time,” wrote Markey. “Today marks a great loss for all those who knew and loved her, and for the countless more whose lives were touched by her service to our nation.”

Rep. Ayanna Pressley called Feinstein a "historymaker" in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, also reflecting Feinstein's work toward equality.

In her statement, Rep. Lori Trahan recognized Feinstein for breaking barriers for women throughout her career.

Feinstein's rise in politics began in the late 1970s, following the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Feinstein became interim mayor and went on to win both election and reelection, serving as mayor until 1988. She was the first female mayor of San Francisco. In 1990, Feinstein narrowly lost a race for governor.

She was elected to serve California in the U.S. Senate in 1992 and was the longest-serving woman senator.

Amid the concerns about her health, Feinstein stepped down as the top Democrat on the judiciary panel after the 2020 elections. Early this year, Feinstein announced she would not run for reelection in 2024. She had a prolonged absence from the senate due to a bout with shingles this year, causing some Democrats to call for her to step down.

Feinstein is survived by her daughter Katherine, a now-retired judge who served on the state superior court in San Francisco.

Material from the Associated Press and NPR was used in this report.