Adam Schiff sworn into the Senate, where he wants to be more than a Trump antagonist

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As of Monday night, Adam Schiff has begun his term in the U.S. Senate. The Democrat took the oath of office with Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington in the afternoon.

Schiff heads to the Senate after spending nearly 24 years in the U.S. House, where he represented Southern California.

Blake Zante, Executive Director of the Maddy Institute, a public policy think tank at the four state universities in Central California, says Schiff now must focus on the whole state.

"He's willing to listen to Valley issues, Zante said. "He may differ politically from some of the Valley here locally in terms of the electorate and representatives that we've had, but I think he's going to spend quite a bit of time."

Senator Schiff fills the seat left by Dianne Feinstein, who passed away in office last fall. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to the office, but she opted not to run for a full term, clearing the way for Schiff's campaign.

Schiff beat Republican challenger and former Dodger Steve Garvey, focusing on issues like healthcare and the environment and telling Action News during an exclusive interview in October he would remain a check on the White House.

"If it's necessary to serve as a check on a President, whether that one or any other one who is abusing the powers of their office or trying to tear down the guardrails of our democracy, I'm going to stand up to them," he said.

The newly elected senator is now gearing up for a term that could bring clashes with the Trump administration.

Schiff led the first impeachment effort against President Trump in 2020 and sat on the January 6th Select Committee. President-elect Trump said Friday those committee members "should go to jail."

A source close to President Biden told ABC News last week the White House is "discussing possible preemptive pardons for people who may be targeted under the Trump administration," including Schiff.

"Adam Schiff, when he served in the House, was definitely very keen on going after then President Trump," Zante said. "I think we're going to continue that in his term as U.S. Senator."

Schiff and his fellow Democrats have just weeks left with the Senate majority before Republicans will have control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.

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