Meghan Markle considering run for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat, sources say

WASHINGTON (TND) — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, may be considering to make a play for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat in the U.S. Senate, according to the Daily Mail.

The Duchess moved back to her hometown of Los Angeles with her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2020 following their announcement they were stepping down from their duties in the British royal family.

Markle is no stranger, but also no veteran of U.S. politics, having pursued advocacy for a handful of issues since her royal return the country. Notable, she has lobbied Congressional Democratic leadership, as well as rank and file senators from both parties like Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, on supporting paid leave for parents. She has also supported gun safety organizations like Moms Demand Action and visited the unofficial memorial for the Robb Elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, only two days after the mass shooting in solidarity with the victims’ families.

The Daily Mail was told phones “lit up” among California Democratic donors and politicos with speculation of a possible Markle run for the seat or even appointment to fill the vacant seat.

According to one major donor in that state who is close to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who needs to appoint someone to fill Feinstein’s seat, the duchess would be a longshot but not impossible candidate.

Meghan is definitely a long-shot but in the craziness that is U.S. politics these days it’s not an impossibility,” they said. “Crazier things have happened.

This is not the first time Newsom, who has free-reign as governor to pick Feinstein’s successor — even himself, although that scenario is considered unlikely — has had to fill a vacant Senate seat. He did so in 2020, following Kamala Harris’ election as Vice President.

Around that time, the Daily Mail reported that Markle had shown interest in Harris’ open seat and was beginning to network through liberal circles. A source from the U.K.’s Labor Party told the publication then that she had been networking among senior Democrats to build grass roots support.

Reportedly, Markle’s ultimate goal is the presidency.