The front-running Democrat love-bombed the hapless Republican with ads that boosted him over the more formidable Katie Porter.
It was a cynical strategy, but a predictable and very successful one. Democratic congressman Adam Schiff, the early front-runner in California’s top-two primary for Senate, had a large war chest of about $50 million. He invested a big chunk of it in boosting the candidacy of hapless but famous Republican Steve Garvey, the baseball star of yore who didn’t have much money of his own for a campaign in this state of many expensive media markets. Schiff lent him a hand via the now-familiar tactic of saturation ads attacking Garvey as a staunch conservative and trusty ally of Donald Trump.
This love-bombing was intended to consolidate a previously scattered Republican vote behind the former Dodgers and Padres star, and it worked like a charm. When the votes rolled in, Schiff comfortably ran first and Garvey was easily outpacing Schiff’s fellow Democrat and congressional colleague Katie Porter for the second general-election spot. (Another Schiff colleague, veteran progressive icon Barbara Lee, was badly outgunned financially and finished a distant fourth.)
Polls had shown that a Schiff-Porter general election might have been very close and would have been a wildly expensive struggle to the very end between two champion fundraisers. But thanks to California’s heavily Democratic tilt, and particularly in a polarizing presidential year, Schiff should dispatch Garvey handily. Indeed, Garvey might wind up vainly craving some more attacks from his Democratic frenemy just to keep his head above water. One of the many implications of this match-up is that California won’t have a woman representing it in the Senate for the first time since 1992 (the seat was long held by the late Dianne Feinstein).
Among those nonetheless pleased with this outcome are Democratic activists and fundraisers focused on the six competitive House races on the ballot in California this November, five involving marginal seats currently controlled by Republicans. These campaigns are pivotal to national Democratic hopes of flipping control of the House and now may get the money and attention the candidates believe they deserve without having to compete much with Senate candidates. But whatever happens to the California congressional delegation, it will be very different without the progressive conscience of Lee and the combative anti-corporate crusading of Porter. Schiff, of course, will still be around on the other side of Capitol Hill, annoying Republicans with his acerbic and very partisan jabs, and likely pleased with himself for a well-executed 2024 campaign plan.
His general-election campaign did not get off to a great start, however, as the New York Times reported:
Representative Adam Schiff was noticeably shaken by the protest for a cease-fire in Gaza that broke out in front of the stage during his Senate primary victory speech, though he repeatedly acknowledged the right of protesters to make a statement. Even after he left the stage, they continued chanting, “Let Gaza live!” The situation was tense, with some attendees yelling back at the protesters before security escorted the protesters out.
California Democrats aren’t necessarily going into the general election completely united.
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