Adam Schiff leads US Senate race in California – with a former Dodger at his heels

Congressman Adam Schiff is leading in the polls for California’s US Senate seat. But a Republican challenger is rising as well – thanks in part due to a boost from his Democratic competitor.

The field of candidates for the seat held by Dianne Feinstein until her death last year is crowded with high-profile Democrats, including Schiff and congresswomen Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. Steve Garvey, a former LA Dodgers baseball player turned businessman, announced his campaign last fall and quickly emerged as the main Republican candidate.

With less than two weeks to go before California’s nonpartisan “jungle” primary, a statewide survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California found Schiff squarely in the lead with the support of 24% of voters. Porter clocked in at 19%, Garvey at 18% and Lee at 10%. A previous poll put Garvey slightly ahead of Porter.

With the two top candidates set to advance, the polls suggest it’s possible that Schiff could end up facing a Republican in November.

It’s a matchup the congressman from Los Angeles has done more than hope for. Schiff’s well-funded campaign has helped elevate Garvey, political analysts say, bringing him greater name recognition with ads describing the Republican as a “leading candidate”.

The Republican’s campaign is a long shot in deep-blue California, which has been represented by Democrats in the Senate since 1992. Registered Democrats outnumber Republican voters in the state by a staggering 2-to-1 margin.

Garvey has never before held public office, but has name recognition in the state due to his two-decade career in baseball playing for the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. “People know me. I played in front of millions of people,” he said at a campaign stop after