With term limits and political roadblocks ahead, what's next for California Senate leader Kevin de León?
Kevin de León has started his third year as leader of the California state Senate facing threats to his left-leaning agenda from President Trump, and uncertainty over the future path of his political career. The Los Angeles Democrat says he is so focused on his job and playing defense against Washington that he has not decided what he will do when term limits force him from the Senate in 2018.
Supporters and observers say options open to him include running for governor, lieutenant governor or the U.S. Senate next year, or mayor of Los Angeles in four years. But pundits warn the fields for some races in the 2018 election are already solidifying in a way that could make a late entry by De León difficult.
De León, 50, says he has been kept up at night worrying about the Republican president’s efforts to undo policies put in place in California during his decade in the Legislature on issues including immigration, the environment and healthcare.
“There are very dark, looming clouds on the near horizon,” he said. “I have lost a lot of sleep thinking about what may happen to the people of California and to our progressive policies.”