The latest poll shows retired MLB star Steve Garvey leading the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate in California ahead of the March 5 election.
The Berkeley IGS poll has Garvey at 27% support, slightly ahead of Rep. Adam Schiff at 25%.
Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee trail further behind.
If the results hold, Garvey and Schiff would advance to a runoff election, though Garvey would face an uphill battle in the heavily Democratic state.
Analysts say the competitive primary has boosted Garvey’s popularity, while Schiff has spent $25 million on ads framing the race as between him and Garvey in an attempt to consolidate support against the Republican-voting former athlete.
However, the ads may paradoxically increase Garvey’s appeal among GOP voters.
A narrator in Schiff’s ad says , “Two leading candidates for Senate. Two very different visions for California.”
The ad also calls Garvey “too conservative for California.”
A likely low turnout also benefits Garvey’s primary prospects.
LA Times reporter Benjamin Oreskes said, “While the message will turn off Democratic voters in the state, it may increase the former baseball player’s appeal to Republican voters — as it is designed to do.”
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