Steve Garvey, a renowned figure in Major League Baseball, played a pivotal role in leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to victory in the 1981 World Series. Now, he aims to rejuvenate the essence of that once-thriving state as he embarks on a campaign for a U.S. Senate seat. Notably, this seat is also being pursued by Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee.
During an interview with Fox News, Garvey articulated his decision to join the race as a Republican. In doing so, he expressed his disregard for his opponents, whom he believes only seek to represent a fraction of the state’s population.
“Earlier this year, I wondered, ‘Let’s see who I can get behind in California that I can support, that had my values and my commitment to this country,’ and I couldn’t find anybody. You know how strongly liberal [California has become] over the years and generations,” the former first baseman said.
“I woke up one morning and decided to see if there’s a pathway to run for the U.S. Senate,” he added.
Garvey is currently vying for the position that was previously occupied by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. In an interview with Fox, he expressed that his campaign has been highly engaged as he endeavors to establish connections with voters throughout the entire state.
“We’ve been actively, over the first probably four months after making that decision, talking to significant people that I trust in the world of politics and then going around California, talking to the people in the north, coastal and central California, and also down south where we are,” the one-time National League MVP said.
“My whole life has been based on, you know, team building and putting teams together with comparable skills, leadership, dedication, passion,” he said. “It doesn’t stop just with sports teams. It goes all the way into business and politics, in religion and all those things.”
If chosen for the position, Garvey expressed his intention, on his inaugural day, to make an effort to convene with each of his fellow senators in order to establish a positive relationship with them.
Furthermore, he mentioned that during his time in California, it was considered the “heartbeat of America,” but he acknowledged that it has now transformed into a “murmur” due to the financial and safety obstacles encountered by its residents.
“The challenges of hardworking Californians getting up every day and knowing that, under our economy now and inflation, that by the time the month’s over, they could be losing seven, eight, $900. And that’s when they’re even managing their daily lives well,” Garvey said. “The food and the gas and education for their children, clothing … all of these things are due to inflation that’s risen so much that it’s tough to stay above water.
“What I’ll focus on is getting back to a free market, capitalism, that will target small businesses,” he added. “You know, there’s so many people that want to start businesses and small market businesses. Small businesses are the foundation of the business world, especially here in California. So many of those people who wanted to start small businesses have left California.”
In the midst of all this, Schiff, who tirelessly propagated the ‘Trump-Russia collusion’ narrative throughout and after the previous president’s tenure, is now facing criticism regarding allegations of claiming two primary residences in Maryland and California for over a decade, all while benefiting from homeowner tax breaks.
For many years, Schiff has owned a spacious house spanning 3,420 square feet in Maryland. However, he has also taken advantage of a homeowner’s tax exemption for a significantly smaller condo in Burbank, California, measuring only 650 square feet, and has declared it as his main place of residence.
This maneuver allowed the congressman to save approximately $70 annually in property taxes, resulting in a total savings of $7,000. Interestingly, Schiff did not seek a similar exemption for his property in Maryland.
According to CNN, tax records indicate that 2017 was the sole year in which Schiff paid property taxes in California using a personal check that bore his Maryland address, further intensifying the controversy. A source informed The New York Post that Schiff is seldom present at his California apartment, which is a modest one-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling.