Not sure what Lee is pissed about, she's free to run for the new term in 2024.
This, exactly. Newsom's use of the term "caretaker" is odd, in itself, for the reason you just gave. Anyone he might appoint to see out Feinstein's term if she could no longer serve would be one of the state's Senators, no matter what one might call it. But that person's term would end in January 2025.
I think the idea is he won’t appoint someone who is running in 2024. That would give them a leg up over the other candidates.