"There are days when I still wake up and pinch myself," Butler told Eyewitness News. "As a kid growing up in a small town in Mississippi who has been able to find her way in California and do good work and make such an impression on Californians that they would be so trusting of the governor's appointment to one of the most prized positions in our government."
In that position, Butler co-sponsored a piece of legislation with Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt on maternal health and worked on climate resiliency with Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford. She hopes the next California senator will do more to create affordable housing.
"What are the actual plans that HUD and role that HUD can be playing to help to break down some of the historic barriers to build up housing and do public investment in communities across the state of California," Butler said.
Before coming to the Senate, Butler ran Emily's List, a political organization that supports Democratic women candidates who favor abortion rights.
But Butler is best known as a close confidant of the Democratic nominee for president, Kamala Harris. When Harris ran for president in 2020, Butler served as a senior advisor. Butler says she's enormously proud of what Harris has accomplished during an expedited 2024 campaign.
"It is a short period of time, but the future that will be determined by this short period of time will have dire consequences if we're not all doing our part," Butler said. "I am going to do everything that I can, whether I have the title of senator or not, to make sure the future of our democracy is preserved and is one that we can pass onto future generations."
Butler will officially leave the Senate once the election between Steve Garvey and Rep. Adam Schiff is certified and the next senator is sworn in. Then she'll figure out what's next.