In the fierce race to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, Steve Garvey stands out both for his name recognition and lack of actual campaign activity.
The former baseball star turned pitcher continues to be absent from community forums. After the televised debate, he ran away from reporters waiting in the spin room. The 75-year-old Republican, a political novice, has raised only a fraction of the tens of millions of dollars needed to win a statewide election in California.
But with only two weeks left until the March 5 primary, Garvey will face three experienced Democrats and a host of other candidates, with two spots left in the November runoff. He is in a position to win one of the slots.
Rep. Adam Schiff has widened his overall lead, but polls suggest Mr. Garvey could beat Rep. Katie Porter for second place in California's unusual “jungle” primary. .
In a state so vast that 22 million voters were registered in the last presidential election, name recognition can overcome political inexperience and a lack of funding. Even though the name was coined primarily by playing baseball 40 years ago.
And in a strategic move that has become common in California, Mr. Schiff probably did more to help Mr. Garvey than Mr. Garvey himself. Leading Democrats spent $10 million on ads ostensibly attacking Mr. Garvey as “too conservative for California,” in hopes of rallying a significant number of Republican voters to his side. . As a result, a race that was expected to be dominated by two Democrats was thrown into an unlikely turmoil.
Garvey is now a candidate to watch, even though his party accounts for less than a quarter of California voters and has little chance of winning a statewide election. Its success has led to scrutiny.
Since Garvey's career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres ended, the scandal-filled years have been relived in news stories. The California resident is revisiting his bitter late 1980s divorce and multiple romances that made him the punchline of his T-shirts and bumper stickers. (“If Steve Garvey's Carrying a Baby, Honk Your Horn'' was once a popular California show.) This month, three of his seven children spoke to the Los Angeles Times in detail about their estrangement with him. Told.
On a recent Saturday, days after voters began receiving mail-in ballots, Mr. Schiff laid siege to the Super Bowl weekend airways, while two other candidates, Mr. Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee, attended Lunar New Year festivities. , and chatted with young black Democrats. Located in Los Angeles County.
Garvey stayed home most of the time after appearing in a local charity bike race held near his ranch home in Palm Desert. A man in slacks and a sweater picks up his mail outside Casa de Garvey, where a giant red, white and blue “Steve Garvey for U.S. Senate” banner flies from the wrought-iron front gate. As he was checking it out, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders regretfully as he observed: He was participating in “probably the most difficult race in America.”
He then returned to the driveway and answered additional questions.
How was the campaign? “wonderful!”
It's unclear what prompted Mr. Garvey to abandon his post-baseball life as a celebrity pitcher and run for the Senate. So far, he has resisted calls for detailed policy positions, saying he would study the issue further if he can get past the primary. The media tour lasted approximately two days and consisted primarily of visits to homeless camps and the California-Mexico border.
Garvey said he was approached early last year and believed he could improve public discussion. “I've never played for a Democrat or a Republican or an independent,” she said in a video launching his campaign. “I played for you guys.”
“His potential run in the general election is not only a boost for all Republicans on the November ballot; “This will be the best election opportunity we've had in years.” Win a Senate seat. ”
In the most recent televised debate, held in San Francisco last week, Mr. Garvey appeared slightly more prepared than he did in his first televised confrontation last month.
He advocated closing the U.S.-Mexico border, opposed further increases in the minimum wage, and reiterated his support for Israel over Hamas “yesterday, today and tomorrow.” But while he blamed state laws for California's soaring housing costs, he could not identify any regulation or say exactly what he would change.
“He's not ready for prime time,” said Mike Madrid, a longtime Republican strategist who suggested Garvey may have been lured into the race by consultants and party officials. “This is just an attempt to get a high-profile person to fly the Republican flag under heavy machine gun fire, and everyone knows it.”
If Mr. Garvey survives until November, Mr. Porter may have his biggest frustration.
Political experts had believed for months that a November runoff between Schiff and Porter was the most likely outcome. Lee, who lives in Oakland, is beloved by progressive Democrats, but she has raised little money and consistently ranks fourth in polls.
California's unusual “jungle” election system, approved by voters in 2010 to address partisan gridlock, pits all candidates into one primary, then selects the top two candidates, regardless of party. The idea is to send the candidates to a runoff election in November. Since then, California has elected two Democrats and no Republicans in the November general election.
Mr. Schiff, 63, served as impeachment manager in former President Donald J. Trump's first trial and has the support of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Ms. Porter, 50, a former law professor, gained national fame for her combative attacks on Congress against Trump administration officials and Wall Street financiers.
If Mr. Porter can make it through the primary, he could have an advantage in the general election in November, when he will face off against Mr. Schiff. Although she is a liberal, she has so far appealed to a multinational electorate, representing a swing district in Orange County. Women, including some of her Lee supporters, could flock to her, while Republicans could face impeachment obligations against Schiff.
If Republicans see Mr. Garvey as a celebrity who can boost turnout, Mr. Schiff could be the perfect foil. Given how polarized the state is among Democrats, Mr. Schiff would almost certainly win if he faced Mr. Garvey in the general election. So it was no surprise that Mr. Schiff ran ads that raised the profile of the Republican Party.
It's a strategy frequently employed by Democratic front-runners as California's majority expands. The idea is to solidify the state's conservative wing against one Republican in the primary and aim for victory in the runoff.
Schiff says the spot merely contrasts the major candidates of both parties. But Ms. Porter and other critics call the bet cynical and undemocratic.
“I think voters should choose their candidates,” Porter said. “Not the other way around.” (Mr. Porter fought the fire, recently announcing that Eric Early, a little-known Republican on the ballot in California, is “a real threat to the Republican Party.”) (purchased online ads for himself trying to persuade conservatives).
By the end of December, Mr. Garvey had raised about $600,000, mostly from Republican retirees in Southern California, and spent more than $100,000 on consulting services, according to campaign finance reports.
By comparison, Mr. Schiff raised more than $35 million, Mr. Porter more than $13.2 million, and Mr. Lee more than $1 million.
Increased surveillance has already revealed Mr. Garvey's family situation.
“Happy 6th birthday! I love you so much,” said Olivia Garvey, one of his three children with current wife Candace Garvey. Posted in December on X, I call him by his baseball jersey number.In honor of his long marriage Vedek his social media feed.
Mr. Garvey's two daughters with his first wife and two children he had with another lover in 1989 are less visible. Krisha Garvey, her daughter from his first marriage, now 49 and based in Los Angeles, said in an interview that Garvey abruptly broke off with her 15 years ago and only rekindled their relationship last fall. He said it was to let her know that he was starting a parliamentary seat. motion.
In a statement, Garvey said his two children were born in 1989 with a woman he was involved with at the time: Slade Mendenhall, 34, of Atlanta. Ashley Young, 35, who lives in Japan, said, “I don't know Steve Garvey personally, so I can't say anything.''
“While we were children, we made numerous efforts to arrange meetings or even phone calls with Mr. Garvey through our attorney, but Mr. Garvey declined every opportunity,” they wrote.
In his block, where Garvey's banner was the only sign for a political venue, neighbors of both parties described him as down-to-earth and friendly and doubted that his family issues would sway voters. Ta.
“America is a very tolerant country,” said Gus House, 58, an electrical contractor and fellow Republican who lives down the street and has done work for the Garveys. “We all fail. We all fall.”
Brian Blatchley, 67, a retired event planner who was out for a walk with her husband Freddie Gerber, 68, said: “He's a very nice guy and she's a very nice person, but we… is a Democrat. I'm not going to vote for him.” , Former sommelier. They said they voted for Mr. Porter.
Matt Shoop, Garvey's communications adviser, said the New York Times “crossed a line” by having an impromptu conversation in Garvey's mailbox, and declined to request further comment from Garvey. did.
In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Garvey said, “The challenges I faced after retiring from Major League Baseball 40 years ago were pivotal in shaping the person I am,” and expressed his gratitude for his 35-year marriage. Life “is a testament to my growth and growth,” he said. Commitment to family values. ”
Political analysts have suggested that Mr. Garvey will face greater concerns if he enters the general election.
“Mr. Garvey has three strikes,” said David Townsend, a Sacramento-based Democratic campaign consultant. “Number one, he's a California Republican. Number two, he has no money. And number three, he was a Dodger. That means he's a California Republican in half the state.” It means that you are hated by everyone.”
