Former Major League Baseball star Steve Garvey has pulled ahead of Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., in the California Senate race, indicating that his message is resonating with Golden State voters.
In California, all candidates, regardless of party, are put on the same primary ballot and the two who garner the most votes advance to the general election.
As the top vote-getters, Garvey and Schiff have already advanced to the general contest, but with ballots still coming in more than a week after the primary on Super Tuesday, The Associated Press reported that the perennial All-Star has overtaken the Democrat congressman in total vote count.
In a surprising development, Garvey was leading Schiff by approximately 254,000 votes Thursday morning, with 89% of the votes counted, according to the AP, signaling a closer race than many initially believed.
“As California’s votes are counted, it’s clear that our message of unity, common sense, and compassion resonates across the state,” Garvey campaign spokesman Matt Shupe told the Washington Examiner. “I am deeply honored by the trust and support shown in these preliminary results.”
“Our campaign is about bringing together Californians from all walks of life to address our shared challenges,” he continued. “I will continue to listen, learn, and lead with compassion and work to build consensus on the real issues that matter to our communities. I’m energized by our campaign’s momentum and ready for the challenge ahead.”
One day before the primary, Garvey told Newsmax that his profile was being raised among voters thanks to Schiff’s campaign of attack ads.
"I'm the only candidate in this race that's running for all the people,” he said at the time. “My opponents vote 98%, 97% down party lines; they're running for a job. I'm running for the people, and it shows. People are standing up throughout California."
Garvey and Schiff will next square off in the general election in November as they vie for the late Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat in the upper chamber. Schiff is considered the favorite in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-to-1 margin.
Newsmax has reached out to Schiff for comment.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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