Feinstein Gets New Liberal Challenger In Senate Race

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein has another liberal Democrat challenging her this year.

Last week former Orange County high school teacher Alison Hartson announced her bid for the Senate seat on The Young Turks, a progressive online talk show.

Hartson said she will not be taking donations from corporate organizations or Super PACs in her campaign.

"Even if they have the best intentions, your hands are tied if your donations come from corporations and from super PACs,” Harston said. “That tells us which way our representatives in Congress, our representatives in our state legislatures are going to be voting."

She enters the race along with State Senate Leader Kevin de León, who is also hoping to be the leading liberal choice for Democratic voters seeking an alternative to a more moderate Feinstein.

A spokesperson for Sen. Feinstein said she continues to fight for progressive measures in the Senate including protecting DACA recipients and is helping lead Senate investigations into Russian interference in last year's election. A strategist for de León wrote in an email that he is focused on Californians and "his track record speaks for itself, which includes taking on Big Oil and the Gun Lobby."

If elected, Hartson says she will fight to protect public education from being privatized, overturn campaign finance ruling Citizens United, and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.