(Bloomberg) -- Dianne Feinstein has been an integral voice for California in the US Senate for 30 years. She’s led the fight on gun control, exposed the CIA’s use of torture in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks and pushed for climate action for her home state, becoming the longest-serving woman in Senate history. 

Now some of her colleagues want her gone.

The 89-year-old senator has been absent from Washington for about two months after being diagnosed with shingles — taking out a key Democratic vote in a chamber where the party holds a narrow majority.

On Wednesday, Representative Ro Khanna, a fellow Californian, tweeted what many of his Democratic colleagues have long whispered. “It is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties,” Khanna wrote, calling on Feinstein to resign. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty.” 

Shortly afterward, another Democratic representative, Dean Phillips, of Minnesota, responded to Khanna’s tweet, saying it was a “dereliction of duty” for both Feinstein to stay on and for those who agree to stay quiet.

In a statement Wednesday night, Feinstein said it was taking longer than expected for her to recover because of ongoing complications and she plans to return to Washington “as soon as possible.”

She said in the statement she’s asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to temporarily replace her on the Judiciary Committee “until I’m able to resume my committee work.” 

A few hours later, Schumer’s office said he would ask the Senate next week to grant the request. 

While questions have swirled for the past couple of years about Feinstein’s ability to perform her job, her absence this year has put Democrats in a quandary because her vote is crucial on judicial and other nominees in the Senate.

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Feinstein’s prolonged absence coincided with that of Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman, who announced in February he was seeking treatment for depression. With Democrats holding only a 51-49 Senate majority, Vice President Kamala Harris was twice called in for tie-breaking votes while both Feinstein and Fetterman were away.  

The highly unusual challenge from Khanna against a senior colleague from his own state and party comes amid the race to replace Feinstein, who has announced that she will retire when her term ends next year.

Three members of the California delegation, Democrats Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, have already announced they will run for the seat in 2024. 

Last month, Khanna, whose district is in Silicon Valley, ended speculation that he himself might run and backed Lee, the most liberal of challengers who represents Oakland and parts of Berkeley. 

Should Feinstein vacate her seat before next year’s vote, Governor Gavin Newsom is required under California law to appoint a successor until an election can be held. Should that occur, Newsom has pledged to appoint a Black woman to the position.  

A spokesman for Newsom said the governor had no response to Khanna’s call for Feinstein to resign.

--With assistance from Zach C. Cohen, John Harney, Laura Litvan and Kara Wetzel.

(Updates with Schumer office statement, in eighth paragraph.)

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