The 74-year-old Republican, a perennial All-Star when he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987, wants to succeed the late Dianne Feinstein (D), who passed away earlier this year.
"Steve Garvey presents this all-American moderate man of common sense. I would think that'd be very appealing to Californians, who are reeling under the highest gas prices in the country and the mismanagement of the Gavin Newsom administration," says Washington Times columnist Robert Knight. "This could be a big moment where California could help turn the tide back to something more resembling common sense in this country."
Pointing out that the GOP has not won a Senate race there in 35 years, Knight says one thing going against Garvey is the fact that California has a jungle primary system, "meaning everybody has to run at once."
"There isn't a Democrat or Republican primary, so, the top two vote-getters do a runoff, unless one has an absolute majority," the columnist explains. "And since California has a heavily Democratic to Republican registration edge, that doesn't work well for Steve Garvey. It'd be better if he were in the Republican primary, got the nomination, then ran head-to-head against whoever the Democrats picked."
As of now, Garvey will face at least three far-left Democrats next year.
