Topline
Republican and former baseball star Steve Garvey and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) will progress to the November election for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Dianne Feinstein—who died in September last year—giving the GOP a rare chance to compete for a Senate seat in the heavily blue state.
California Representative Adam Schiff speaks to supporters on election night Tuesday.
Key Facts
Both candidates were part of an open Senate primary race that featured candidates from both parties—including Schiff’s House Democratic colleagues Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
The Associated Press first called the race for Schiff late on Tuesday night, followed by Garvey—as the top two candidates get to progress to the November election.
With 44% of the votes counted as of midnight P.T., Schiff has secured 34.5% of the votes, while Garvey received 31.3%.
Porter was in a distant third place with 14.3% of the votes, followed by Lee, who received 7.2%.
After the win, Schiff thanked supporters for having his “back every step of the way,” although the victory speech was briefly disrupted by protestors calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In her concession speech, Porter thanked her supporters, saying “We have the establishment running scared,” and once again criticized Schiff for “spending more to boost the Republican than promoting his own campaign.”
News Peg
With Garvey as his opponent in November, Schiff is now the overwhelming favorite to win the Senate seat that was held for over three decades by Feinstein. Democrats have twice as many registered voters in the state compared to the GOP and California has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1988. Porter had accused Schiff of trying to engineer this exact situation, as a Democratic shutout would likely have led to a tighter race in November. Schiff’s campaign ads framed Garvey as his main rival and compared the former baseball player to Trump—causing the state’s GOP voters to coalesce around him.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
