Washington – The candidates are scheduled to face off the next day. Tuesday California's Senate race is crowded, with more than 20 candidates vying to represent the nation's most populous state.
The top two vote-getters in the Golden State's so-called jungle primary are candidates from all parties vying for a late-game chance. Senator Dianne FeinsteinThe seat will go to the general election in November.
dark blue seat campaign California It was a long battle. Even before Feinstein announced that she would not seek re-election, she had already announced that several candidates would enter the race for the seat, which has not been vacant in 30 years. The state's other seat is held by Sen. Alex Padilla, a 50-year-old Democrat who was nominated by Gov. Gavin Newsom to finish out Vice President Kamala Harris' term and was subsequently elected vice president. It may be years before another opportunity presents itself. First full year of 2022.
There are four main candidates participating in a crowded primary that also includes many lesser-known names. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff has been considered the front-runner throughout the campaign. But a recent poll by the Institute of Government at the University of California, Berkeley, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, found Republican Steve Garvey, a former professional baseball star, in a statistical tie for first place. Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee and Katie Porter are also working to win enough support to advance to the November general election.
The two candidates who placed first and second, regardless of party affiliation, will face off in November. The same University of California, Berkeley poll found that if Schiff and Garvey advance, Schiff would be the overwhelming favorite to beat Garvey.
adam schiff
The 63-year-old rose to national prominence during the first impeachment trial against President Donald Trump, where he served as the lead prosecutor. He was first elected to Congress in 2000 and has served as a top member of the House Intelligence Committee and the January 6th Special Committee. Mr. Schiff, who represents California's 30th District in the Los Angeles area, has the support of a former president. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a huge figure in California politics. In announcing his support, Pelosi said Schiff “understands the connection between a strong democracy and a strong economy.”
steve garvey
Garvey, 74, is a former infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Admission to the race In October, we belatedly added a celebrity to the contest. More than 30 years after leaving baseball, the Republican said his Senate bid was about restoring Golden State to its former glory, saying it was “time for him to come off the bench.”
katie porter
Mr. Porter, 50, represents California's 47th District in the Orange County area. She has served in Congress since 2019 after flipping a longtime Republican seat in an area that was once home to Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.
After arriving at Congress, she gained attention on social media for blasting businesses and government officials during Congressional hearings with her signature whiteboard. Porter has received support from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a former law professor who she said has a “backbone made of steel.”
barbara lee
Mr Lee, 77, has been a member of parliament since 1998. The progressive icon, who has consistently pushed the boundaries of liberal ideals in the state and beyond, represents California's Oakland-area 12th District. In 2001, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she was famously the only member of Congress to vote against authorizing unlimited military force. And she previously led the Congressional Black Caucus.
Who do California Senate polls show in the lead?
While Mr. Schiff has consistently led in recent polls, the latest poll from the University of California, Berkeley's Institute of Government has shown Mr. Garvey to be in a “statistical tie” with Mr. Schiff. Mr. Garvey received the support of 27% of likely voters, compared with 25% for Mr. Schiff. Mr Porter followed with 19%, followed by Mr Lee with 8%.
Democrats have not lost a U.S. Senate election since 1988. And ultimately, the seat is expected to remain under Democratic control in November. But Mr. Garvey barred two prominent progressives, Mr. Porter and Mr. Lee, from the race months earlier, and could end his campaign before he has a chance to challenge Mr. Schiff.
Progressives have warned that Mr. Porter and Mr. Lee are splitting votes from similar bases, pushing Mr. Garvey into second place. Adding to Lee and Porter's precarious outlook, turnout is expected to be low in deep-blue areas where Republicans have subtly gained ground in recent years and flipped a number of House seats in midterm elections. That's it. With a rematch in November between President Biden and former President Donald Trump all but certain, voters have so far been delayed in returning their mail-in ballots.
If Mr. Garvey comes in second in Tuesday's primary, the vote would likely decide Mr. Schiff's coronation, rather than the Democratic scuffle that would occur if two party members advanced after the primary. According to a poll from the University of California, Berkeley, Schiff has a 15-point lead in the matchup between Garvey and Schiff.
After Feinstein's 30-year term, the nominees will have a big job ahead of them. She was elected to the seat for the first time in 1992 and remained in that position until then. She passed away in September 2023.