Former Padres Star Steve Garvey Enters Race for US Senate as a Republican

Former San Diego Padres first baseman Steve Garvey Tuesday introduced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat beforehand held by the late Dianne Feinstein, who died final month.

Garvey, who lives in Palm Desert and performed most of his celebrated profession for the Los Angeles Dodgers, will run as a Republican.

In a video saying his run, Garvey appeared to downplay the occasion affiliation. California has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since Pete Wilson was reelected in 1988.

Garvey, 74, stated in his marketing campaign announcement that he performed in entrance of hundreds of thousands of followers for the Dodgers and Padres.

“I by no means performed for Democrats or Republicans or Independents. I performed for all of you,” Garvey stated within the video. “Now I’m working for U.S. Senate in California, a state that I imagine at one time was the heartbeat of America, and now could be only a murmur.

“It’s going to be a common sense marketing campaign. It’s going to be troublesome, however we will do that collectively — you and I. It’s time to get off the bench. It’s time to place the uniform on. It’s time to get again within the sport.”

Greater than a dozen candidates have entered the race for the Senate seat, most notably some high-profile Democrats — present Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff — and Silicon Valley govt Lexi Reese. Little- recognized Republicans who’ve introduced their candidacies embody educator Denice Gary-Pandol and perennial candidates James Bradley and Eric Early.

Laphonza Butler, a labor chief and former head of the Emily’s Checklist political motion committee, was appointed to the seat by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill out the rest of Feinstein’s present time period. Butler, 44, has not indicated whether or not she is going to run for a full time period within the March main.

Garvey has by no means been elected to public workplace.

In response to Garvey’s announcement, Schiff wrote on X, previously Twitter, “Earlier than he was a multimillionaire Republican celeb, he was a primary baseman. Based mostly on his announcement, it seems like he’s able to take up the combat for everybody born on third base — assume they hit a triple. Go determine.”

Lee issued a press release calling Garvey “a pro-Trump, anti-choice extremist” and “the improper individual to characterize a progressive state like California.”

“At a time when our reproductive rights are beneath assault and our democracy is being undermined by Trump and his MAGA extremist supporters in Congress and throughout the nation, we want a Senator who will combat for financial, racial, and local weather justice and who has the expertise wanted to be an efficient progressive chief within the Senate,” Lee stated.

On his marketing campaign web site, Garvey lists high priorities of his marketing campaign, citing schooling, high quality of life, public security, nationwide safety, homelessness and help for small companies.

Garvey performed for the Dodgers from 1969 by means of 1982. Garvey was the Nationwide League MVP in 1974 and MVP within the NL Championship Collection in 1978, the second 12 months it was awarded.

Garvey received 4 Gold Glove awards and shares the Dodgers’ highest profession fielding share for a primary baseman, .996, with Wes Parker.

In his 12 full seasons with the Dodgers, he was an eight-time All-Star choice, beginning 5 occasions, and the All-Star Recreation MVP in 1974 and 1978.

Garvey performed the ultimate 5 seasons of his main league profession with the San Diego Padres, serving to cause them to their first NL pennant in 1984. He retired following the 1987 season.

He collected 2,599 hits in his profession, together with six seasons of at the least 200 hits, and hit 272 dwelling runs with 1,308 runs batted in. He completed with a lifetime batting common of .294.

–Metropolis Information Service