Steve Garvey climbing the polls in California's U.S. Senate race

[quaint]

https://ktla.com/news/california-politics/steve-garvey-climbing-the-polls-in-californias-u-s-senate-race/

A recent poll from Politico shows Garvey, who is running as a Republican, with the support of 19% of likely California voters, second to Congressman Adam Schiff’s 28%. A Policy Institute of California poll conducted in mid-November had Garvey at 10%, trailing both Schiff (21%) and Rep. Katie Porter (16%).

To date, the former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres slugger has not offered any specific proposals about border security or laid out detailed positions on other key issues.

He also hasn’t revealed where, as a Republican, he stands on former President Trump in 2024 and whether he voted for him in the past.

But at the moment, Garvey isn’t offering any specific proposals on how to achieve those priorities, running for now on the promise that he is the best candidate for the U.S. Senate seat once occupied by Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Oh lordy

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. Ugh.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. California loves celebrity

[quaint]

3. Unfortunately, you are correct.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. And if Garvey's staking out no positions, that means he plans to win by attacking

while he trades off his celebrity status. Not that Schiff is not a celebrity also, in a political sense. But an opponent could pound him with the usual Republican negative arsenal - woke, politicized, commie, etc. - going up against Mr. Clean. We'll see. The press should not allow Garvey to hide his platform.

[quaint]

7. Trying to repeat Arnie's win.

At least Arnold Swartzenegger has a brain (he kept much staff), unlike Mr. Garvey.

[Zambero]

9. Arnold won in a recall election

against an unpopular incumbent governor who was a very convenient target at the time. This time around it's an open senate seat, so other than celebrity status, the circumstances are somewhat different. Democrats need to rally around a single candidate to preclude Garvey from barreling into office on a technicality, and at the moment Adam Schiff appears to be that candidate.

[quaint]

10. Well, Arnie was re-elected.

[Zambero]

12. A rare moderate Republican

And a rare smart one at that. To his credit, he never identified with the far right, and was fairly liberal on social issues. So he did in fact pick up support from a lot of indies and more than a few Dems. Garvey on the other hand possesses no redeeming qualities whatsoever and needs to be branded as the rightie that he is.

[Voltaire2]

16. Democrats will rally around a single candidate after the open primary is complete.

If Garvey gets into the general election, he will face approximately a 60+% Democratic vote. There is no good reason I can think of for anyone to drop out before the primary. But if you can explain why, go ahead.

[catbyte]

5. Yuck. I couldn't stand him when he was playing baseball.

That's not good news. Celebrity trumps competence too many times.

[Zambero]

6. Perhaps Porter should leave the race and support Schiff?

In retrospect, wishing she would have campaigned to retain her seat in Congress. It's a swing District that could fall into GOP hands absent a very strong Democratic candidate. Porter would make a great Senator, although her current poll numbers have her falling short. Consolidating Dem support would help to keep Garvey at bay.

[quaint]

8. Edit to change my mind. If Barbara Lee drops before the primary, her supporters would likely go to Katie.

Last edited Sat Dec 30, 2023, 02:44 PM - Edit history (1)

[Zambero]

11. Given the MAGA demonization I can't help but like the guy

His impeachment #1 case against Trump was masterful, and the GOP has done everything possible to take him down ever since, including an unwarranted censure and removal from key committees.

[CrispyQ]

13. I love a man who can laugh at himself & during the J6 sessions

Trump had called Schiff a pencil neck & then later a melon head. One of the pundits asked him about Trump's nicknames & Schiff laughed & said "I guess I'm a melon head on a pencil neck."

I love them both & thought it was bad strategy for both of them to leave the House.

[niyad]

17. As a matter of curiosity, what is it about him that you do not like?

[quaint]

18. His views on justice, juvenile criminals, and undocumented workers are different from mine.

From Wikipedia regarding his time in the state senate:

During his tenure, Schiff also authored "tough on crime" measures, which did not pass or were vetoed by both Republican and Democratic governors, including a bill to allow minors 14 or older accused of serious crimes to be tried as adults, and a bill that would have made it a felony to hire an undocumented immigrant.

And prior to impeachment and the J6 committee, I don't know what he has done for California. He is a fine attorney.

[niyad]

19. Thank you.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

24. Feinstein has always been the more conservative of our 2 senators.

She was something of a token for conservatives. Schiff fits that bill perfectly. And his experience as an aggressive, male prosecutor, will be more likely to take the Garvey curious.

[Voltaire2]

20. Why?

It’s an open primary. How would Schiff or Porter dropping benefit the general election contest?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

22. Got that right!!!

It's our district and there are now two Dems, only one endorsed by Porter, against a horribly crooked MAGAt.

I don't trust any polls or news items with so much misinformation gobbled down as if it was truth.

We are in a living nightmare. Why she did this at this crucial time is perplexing. I believe it was her way out of politics.

[Merlot]

25. California has a jungle primary, Porter dropping out might put garvey on the ballot

Right now I'm expecting a general election race between Schiff and Porter.

[Zambero]

26. That is a great scenario

However, my money would be on Schiff and Garvey.

[Firestorm49]

14. Garvey "isn't offering any specific proposals". So then apparently, he stands for nothing but wants votes. How GOP

[SouthernDem4ever]

15. Typical repug candidate these days

They stand for nothing but chaos.

[ZonkerHarris]

21. SF Giants fans hate the Dodgers. Won't help him up north.

[IcyPeas]

23. Here he is on the right wing a.m. radio show John and Ken.

On searching him I see he's been on their show a couple of times. He talks about the usual... crime, border, fentanyl, education, war ... no actual plan or details though. Also, he's boring... not an interesting speaker 😴 Also, they think his name recognition alone will get him somewhere. I, for one, don't watch sports so I have no idea who he is.

https://kfiam640.iheart.com/featured/the-john-kobylt-show/content/2023-11-29-steve-garvey-for-us-senate/

[Grins]

27. He's 75! 76 when & if he takes office! What is he thinking?

More - what are those 10% thinking?

[David__77]

28. 19% vs. 65% for three Democrats.

I expect that 19% to further increase.

[NoRethugFriends]

29. Well, as a baseball player he was very good at hitting into double plays. Doesn't that count for something?

[calguy]

30. He might be climbing the polls with repiblicans

But he'll be wiped out in the general election, like a very other recent Republican candidate before him.

[BigmanPigman]

31. Barf

That is the one word I feel when I hear his name in San Diego...

[ificandream]

32. Politico story, also from late December, says Garvey tied with Katie Porter and Barbara Lee

LOS ANGELES — Rep. Adam Schiff holds a clear lead in the race to represent California in the U.S. Senate, according to a new POLITICO | Morning Consult poll, leaving him well-positioned to advance after the upcoming March primary.

The fiercer fight is for the number two spot in the general election, with Republican Steve Garvey and Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee in a dead heat. Garvey has positioned himself as a Trump-agnostic moderate, while Porter and Lee are more closely associated than Schiff with their party’s progressive wing.

The scramble for second place will determine whether the November election will erupt into a protracted intraparty battle between two Democrats or a more lopsided red-versus-blue contest in staunchly liberal California.

Schiff, the 12-term Democrat from Burbank, leads with 28 percent of likely voters, including those who are undecided but leaning toward supporting him. Former Los Angeles Dodgers star Garvey follows with 19 percent, while Porter has 17 percent and Lee notches 14 percent — a statistical three-way tie.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/21/schiff-california-senate-00132816

[quaint]

34. Not good news, but good information.

[HeartachesNhangovers]

33. He's got great hair for an old man. That counts for a lot in California.

(where I lived for 54 years, so I know how shallow CA voters can be.)

[quaint]

35. The shallow people couldn't possibly be Democrats. 😁