Jockeying for the seat began after President Joe Biden nominated California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services on December 6. The Senate Finance Committee is expected to hold Becerra’s confirmation hearing in the coming weeks, though a date has not yet been set. He is expected to be confirmed, after which Newsom will announce his pick for attorney general. The letter focuses on Schiff, whose record trends toward being more tough on crime than most of the other top contenders, but the signatories ask that readers “do not take this as an acceptance of all other potential appointees” and ask Newsom to appoint “someone who has an understanding of the impact of policing and incarceration on people’s lives and on our communities.” Schiff’s office and campaign did not respond to requests for comment.