Major League Baseball star Steve Garvey, who is running as a Republican, has a narrow lead over Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff in early polling for an open U.S. Senate seat in California.
A new UC Berkeley poll shows Garvey with 27% support to Schiff’s 25%, with other Democrats like Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee trailing further behind.
Garvey aims to revive California’s “heartbeat” by focusing on small businesses and economic challenges facing residents.
Garvey said, “Earlier this year, I wondered, ‘Let’s see who I can get behind in California that I can support, that had my values and my commitment to this country,’ and I couldn’t find anybody. You know how strongly liberal [California has become] over the years and generations.”
“I woke up one morning and decided to see if there’s a pathway to run for the U.S. Senate,” said Garvey.
Garvey said, “We’ve been actively, over the first probably four months after making that decision, talking to significant people that I trust in the world of politics and then going around California, talking to the people in the north, coastal and central California, and also down south where we are.”
“My whole life has been based on, you know, team building and putting teams together with comparable skills, leadership, dedication, passion,” said Garvey.
“It doesn’t stop just with sports teams. It goes all the way into business and politics, in religion and all those things,” he continued.
Garvey said, “The challenges of hardworking Californians getting up every day and knowing that, under our economy now and inflation, that by the time the month’s over, they could be losing seven, eight, $900. And that’s when they’re even managing their daily lives well.
He added, “The food and the gas and education for their children, clothing … all of these things are due to inflation that’s risen so much that it’s tough to stay above water.”
Garvey said, “What I’ll focus on is getting back to a free market, capitalism, that will target small businesses.”
“You know, there’s so many people that want to start businesses and small market businesses. Small businesses are the foundation of the business world, especially here in California. So many of those people who wanted to start small businesses have left California,” concluded Garvey.
He criticized opponents for only representing half the state and says California has become a “murmur” rather than the “heartbeat of America.”
Meanwhile, Schiff is facing controversy over claims he has been claiming two primary residences in Maryland and California for tax benefits for over ten years.
The early poll signals a potentially competitive race between Garvey and Schiff could be in store.
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