OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:29 PM – Tuesday, February 6, 2024
The multimillion-dollar statewide ad campaign by Democrat Congressman Adam Schiff’s Senate campaign is noteworthy since it specifically targets Steve Garvey, the former Dodgers and Padres player who is now running as the most high-profile Republican in a state with a Democrat majority.
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Schiff famously pushed the false “Russian collusion” narrative like many anti-Trump Democrat officials did in the past. However, the FBI and specifically Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no sufficient evidence that President Donald Trump’s campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the U.S. 2016 election after its 22-month investigation, according to americanbar.org. The ABA website represents the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world.
“Steve Garvey, the leading Republican, is too conservative for California—he voted for Trump twice and supported Republicans for years, including far-right conservatives,” Schiff’s ad announces. “Adam Schiff, the leading Democrat, defended democracy against Trump and the insurrectionists.”
Social media users on X (Twitter) chimed in online and made fun of the advertisement for its “cringe-worthy” narration.
“This ad seems like something a conservative person would create as a parody in order to make fun of liberals, yet it’s real HAHAHA!” said one user.
In regards to an open primary, and regardless of party, the top two vote-receivers from the March poll advance to the general election.
Analysts have long maintained that having Garvey—or any other GOP candidate—as a competitor in the general election in November would be better for Schiff than having to deal with Porter or Lee’s intra-party disputes. Since 2006, no Republican has won a statewide election in California.
Additionally, Schiff’s campaign has significantly more funding than Garvey, who, based on the most recent campaign finance filings, does not have nearly as much money to run a statewide advertising campaign like Schiff.
As of December 31st, the Federal Election Commission’s most recent data shows that Schiff’s campaign had a staggering $34.9 million in cash on hand, compared to just $308,160 for Garvey’s campaign. Porter had $13.2 million, while Barbara Lee had $815,960.
Shortly after the release of Schiff’s advertisement, his primary opponent, Katie Porter, asserted that he was making a “cynical attempt” to help Garvey so that more Republicans would be inclined to support someone who is “too conservative for California” and who had voted twice for Trump. Garvey gained further notoriety at the most recent debate when he argued with Schiff and other contenders.
According to a USC survey of probable voters released last week, Schiff had 25% of the vote, Porter and Garvey were tied at 15%, and Lee came in fourth with 7%.
“Adam Schiff knows he will lose to me in November. That’s what this brazenly cynical ad is about—furthering his own political career, boxing out qualified woman candidates, and boosting a Republican candidate to do it. We need honest leadership, not political games,” Katie Porter wrote on X (Twitter).
In 2018, Democrat opponents criticized then-lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) for airing a primary advertisement highlighting Republican John Cox’s endorsement of Trump.
“Steve Garvey’s campaign has always been and will continue to be about bringing all Californians together for common sense, compassionate solutions to today’s real problems, not trite political hatchet jobs. Californians are tired of this divisive rhetoric that aims to separate us into simple buckets against ourselves rather than unite us in common cause to better all of our lives. This is why Steve Garvey continues to rise in the polls,” said Matt Shupe, Garvey campaign spokesman.
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