In a significant development, Democratic Representative Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey have secured their spots in the general election for California’s open Senate seat, according to CNN projections. This sets the stage for a challenging contest for the state’s struggling GOP.
Schiff and Garvey were vying for two Senate seats on Tuesday. One seat is to complete the remaining term of the late Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, from November until January. The other is for a full six-year term commencing in January 2025.
The incumbent senator, Democrat Laphonza Butler, was appointed to the seat following Feinstein’s passing last fall. Butler, however, announced shortly after her appointment that she would not run for a full term.
Under California’s open primary system, all candidates compete on the same ballot, with the top two vote-getters, irrespective of their party affiliation, advancing to the general election. Given that Democrats outnumber Republicans almost 2-to-1 in the state, the seat is expected to remain in Democratic hands come November.
Garvey managed to secure a spot on the general election ballot, outpacing two Democratic congresswomen, Representatives Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, despite raising significantly less campaign funds and not running any TV ads.
In the campaign’s final weeks, Schiff and his supporters spent millions on ads portraying Garvey as excessively conservative for California. This strategy, some argue, was designed to boost Republican turnout. Despite raising a mere $2.1 million compared to Schiff’s $31 million, Garvey did not invest in TV ads.
Some progressives contend that Schiff’s strategy could inadvertently increase GOP turnout in down-ballot races. Porter criticized the ad strategy as blatantly cynical, accusing Schiff of misrepresenting Garvey’s conservatism. Garvey, a former baseball player, voted for Donald Trump twice but has not ruled out voting for President Joe Biden in 2024.
Porter also began to spotlight another Republican, businessman Eric Early, in digital ads and during the final Senate debate, arguing that he was the true pro-Trump candidate in the race. This move was perceived as an attempt to divide the Republican vote.
Throughout the general election, Schiff is expected to continue highlighting his role as a leading Trump critic in the House, a reputation reinforced by his involvement in the former president’s impeachment and various other Trump investigations. Last year, Republicans ousted Schiff from the House Intelligence Committee and voted to censure him over his role investigating the former president, a move Schiff considered a badge of honor.
Garvey will face increasing pressure to raise funds and clarify his policy positions. During primary debates, he often avoided taking a clear stance on key issues and attempted to balance supporting Trump and distancing himself from the former president.
Schiff, Porter, and Lee entered the race early last year, while Garvey launched his campaign in October. Feinstein, who held the seat for over 30 years, announced last February that she would not seek re-election. She passed away in September at the age of 90.