The intrigue surrounds the future of Feinstein’s seat. Pelosi has endorsed Rep. ADAM SCHIFF, her longtime protege and former hand-picked House Intelligence Committee chair, to succeed Feinstein after her sixth and final term ends next year. Schiff is a household name in California and already has a $15 million campaign cash advantage over his nearest competitor.

But if Feinstein were to bow to pressure and retire early, Schiff’s advantage could disappear. Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM has pledged to appoint a Black woman to serve out her term, and one of Schiff’s declared opponents, Rep. BARBARA LEE (D-Calif.), would fit the bill.

“If DiFi resigns right now, there is an enormous probability that Barbara Lee gets appointed — thus, it makes it harder for Schiff,” one Pelosi family confidant told Playbook, adding that the relationship between Pelosi, her daughter and the senator is “being kept under wraps and very, very closely held.”

[The daughter is Nancy Corrine Prowda, who is now accompanying Feinstein wherever the senator goes and running interference with the media. Pelosi doesn’t want to allow Newsom to appoint a replacement, because Newsom will come under tremendous pressure to appoint a black woman rather than Schiff, especially after Newsom’s choice of Alex Padilla for Kamala Harris’ term. If so, this is going to get ugly fast. — Ed]