Laphonza Butler says she will not run for a US Senate seat in California in 2024.

Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA), who was appointed earlier this month to fill the vacancy left by the death of Dianne Feinstein, said she will not run for the seat in the 2024 election.

Butler told The New York Times that she realized “this is not the best use of my voice.” She later confirmed her decision in a statement, saying: “Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean running a campaign.”

“I know it will come as a surprise to many because traditionally we don’t expect the powers that be to let it go,” she said. “It may not be the decision that people expected, but for me it is the right decision.”

Butler’s participation would have changed the dynamics of the race, which will pit three House Democrats, Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff, against each other in the open primary next March. TV news anchor Christina Pascucci said Wednesday that she is also running for the seat as an independent Democrat, while former baseball star Steve Garvey, a Republican, announced his bid earlier this month.

Butler was appointed to the seat by Gov. Gavin Newsom after serving as president of Emily’s List. He promised to appoint a black woman to the seat, but also said he did not want to choose a candidate already in the race so as not to influence the election outcome.

Had she run, Butler would have had the advantage of her position because voters can already evaluate her performance. But she said in her statement that for the past 16 days she had been “searching for my clarity — what kind of life I want to live, what kind of service I want to render and what kind of voice I want to raise.”

“California voters want leaders who think about them and the issues that matter most to them. “I now have 383 days to serve the people of California with all my energy and commitment,” she said.