Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Wednesday that she no longer supports the death penalty, a reversal of nearly three decades of public statements that comes amid a primary challenge from the left wing of the Democratic party. Feinstein's toughest challenger appears to be Democratic state Sen. Kevin de Leon, who has argued she's out of touch with California values. De Leon blocked Feinstein from receiving the California Democratic Party's endorsement at its annual convention in February, a window into her troubles with some of the activist base. De Leon seized on her death penalty shift as further evidence that Feinstein is worried about her base of support. She's run successful campaigns in the past by picking up Democrats as well as California's independent voters, who now make up almost as large a share of the electorate as Republicans.

Source: Fox News May 23, 2018 21:51 UTC