Politics

Former MLB Star Steve Garvey Enters Calif. Senate Race

OCT 10 2023·Updated FEB 6 2024

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Image credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

The Facts

Former baseball star Steve Garvey announced Tuesday that he's running for California’s vacant Senate seat to replace late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Garvey is running as a Republican and hopes to be the first member of the GOP to win a Senate race in the state since 1988.
The Associated Press
Garvey, 74, announced his campaign launch in a video in which he heavily alluded to his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. In the video, Garvey said that he "never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents," saying he played "for all of you."
ABC7 Los Angeles
Despite queries from Republicans and Democrats, Garvey said he never considered running for office until now. He expressed his concerns about issues plaguing Californians such as quality of life, crime, and education; he also called out the impacts COVID policies had on children's education.
FOX News
Garvey has framed his run as a "commonsense campaign," but he faces an uphill battle in a state that has overwhelmingly supported Democrats for nearly four decades. He has walked a tight line regarding his support for former Pres. Donald Trump — saying that he voted for him in the past but has not decided on a preferred candidate in 2024.
ESPN.com
After Sen. Feinstein died in late September, prominent Democrats such as Reps. Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee, and Katie Porter have announced their candidacy. Acting Sen. Laphonza Butler, whom Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed to finish Feinstein’s term, has not indicated whether or not she will run for a full six-year term.
CNN
Despite the stark party disadvantage, Garvey’s status as a former baseball Most Valuable Player gives him star power that could elevate his candidacy. California has an open primary format that allows the top two vote-getters to advance — which could help Garvey given the crowded Democratic field.
NBC

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The Spin

Republican narrative

California has been driven into a state of disarray by years of inept Democratic leadership, and Steve Garvey is the perfect commonsense candidate to represent the state in the Senate and restore sanity. Garvey is extremely beloved in the Golden State for his contributions on the baseball diamond, and his character is as impeccable as his career was. It's time for a change in California, and if anyone can bring victory for the GOP in California, it's Garvey and his star power.

OutKick

Democratic narrative

While Steve Garvey may try to distance himself from Donald Trump and the extreme wing of the GOP, he in fact has a lot in common with other extremist candidates like Trump and former NFL star Herschel Walker. Garvey is trying to become the latest cult of personality that runs on a Republican platform of polarization. While California generally votes blue, Garvey’s celebrity status makes him dangerous.