Pro-Trump Ex-MLB Player Takes On Schiff In Senate Race 

When U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announced her retirement more than a year ago, the conventional wisdom in D.C. was that it would only be a matter of time until another leftist Democrat filled her seat. In Tuesday’s election, however, a former professional baseball player emerged as a possible spoiler in the upcoming general election.

Feinstein died in September at the age of 90 and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom chose political strategist Laphonza Butler to serve as interim senator until a special election could be held. 

A trio of other Democrats — U.S. Reps. Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee and Katie Porter — announced their intention to seek the open Senate seat, with Schiff coming out on top.

Close behind him in the ranked-choice vote, however, was Republican Steve Garvey, who is now slated to run against Schiff in the general election.

In remarks after polls closed in the state on Tuesday, Garvey dubbed the encouraging result “the California comeback” and evoked imagery from his athletic career as an analogy.

“What you are all feeling tonight is what it’s like to hit a walk-off home run,” he said, going on to advise: “Keep in mind, this is the first game of a double-header, so keep the evening of Nov. 5 open, as we will celebrate again.”

Garvey, 75, leaned into his status as a political outsider in announcing his campaign and embraced his public persona as a former pro athlete.

“I played in front of millions of fans,” he said at the time, “I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents — I played for all of you.”

Despite California’s well-known Democratic slant, Garvey has campaigned as a candidate with a real chance of winning. He called out the Schiff campaign’s tactic of spending millions on ads that only boosted his profile across the state, asserting that the cynical strategy will backfire.

“My opponent has been advertising that he wants me,” Garvey asserted. “He’s mistaking kindness for weakness. I would suggest that he keep in mind that old saying: Be careful what you ask for.”

As for his platform, Garvey made a play for voters across the ideological spectrum who have been beset by the consequences of leftist economic and social policies, specifically appealing to cash-strapped Californians who are tired of “putting $10 of gas in the tank instead of 10 gallons.”