9 months ago
SACRAMENTO, California — Former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey raised a modest $610,920 in the last quarter of 2023, relying on a slew of retired Southern California businessmen to prop up his longshot bid to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
It’s the first look at funding for Garvey, a beloved former first baseman for the Dodgers and San Diego Padres who is betting his star power can propel him to Washington — or at least to the November ballot.
Republicans haven’t won a statewide race in California since 2006, but Garvey may be able to consolidate enough Republican and swing voters to make it out of the state’s top-two primary and advance to the general election. A December POLITICO | Morning Consult poll put him in a statistical dead-heat for second place with two Democratic rivals.
He faces three formidable Democratic challengers: Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. Garvey is highlighting his status as a political outsider, but all three of his opponents are polished politicians. Schiff and Porter also boast impressive fundraising machines that will help carry their message to California’s 20 million voters.
Schiff, the frontrunner, brought in $6.2 million last quarter, bringing his total cash on hand to $35 million. Porter brought in $3 million and has $13.2 million in cash. Garvey, by comparison, started 2024 with about $308,000 in his pocket.
Garvey, who appeared on American televisions frequently throughout the 1970s and 1980s, did not contribute any of his own money to his campaign, according to federal election filings. Nor did he report any contributions from celebrity friends — aside from former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, who donated $1,000. Orange County Republican Party Chair Fred Whitaker also contributed $1,000.
After months of lying low, Garvey has started campaigning in earnest, traversing the state to talk about homelessness, public safety and concerns about rising antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war. He has yet to make any ad buys.
He did, however, pay his son, Ryan Garvey, $13,000 for campaign consulting services, according to filings.
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