MLB Great Steve Garvey Takes Lead Over Democrat Adam Schiff In California Senate Primary

Former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres first baseman Steve Garvey knows a thing or two about coming through in the big game, and he's now taking that to the political arena. 

The 10x All-Star and World Series Champion Republican candidate is currently leading Democrat Adam Schiff in California's nonpartisan Senate primary ahead of Tuesday's special election. 

According to a Los Angeles Times / Berkeley IGS poll released yesterday, Garvey has 27% of voter support while Schiff has 25%. Two other candidates -- both Democratic women -- received 19% and 8%. The top two winners from this Tuesday's special election will then advance to a runoff in November to fill the late Dianne Feinstein's Senatorial seat. 

STEVE GARVEY ADAM SCHIFF CALIFORNIA SENATE

GARVEY TAKES THE LEAD

Garvey would be the first Republican to hold a California Senate office since John Seymour in 1992. And just like a playoff run with one of his former teams, Garvey has been coming up hot at the right time. A previous poll saw Garvey receiving only 13% just a month earlier - he has since doubled that.

"We feel good about next Tuesday, but as you can see, we're in a stretch run," Garey told reporters earlier this week. "I've done my stretching. My hamstrings are fine. I can still run a little bit. We are going to be, I think, honored by the people next Tuesday to allow us to go to, what I call, the season - 8 months, 9 innings - to get to that one championship game on November 5th."

Garvey was twice named the National League Championship Series MVP before then helping the Dodgers win the 1981 World Series. His No. 6 was retired by the Padres in 1988.

SUPER TUESDAY IS THIS WEEK

He has run a campaign that has ripped California over the rise in crime, taxes being too high, and wealthy residents fleeing the state in droves. He is also an adamant supporter of the police and the U.S. military. In recent ads, Schiff has argued that Garvey is "too conservative for California," while also criticizing him for voting for Donald Trump twice - of which Schiff led impeachment trials against twice.

March 5th will be ‘Super Tuesday,’ in which 15 different states will hold different votes ahead of the upcoming 2024 election in November. In addition to local and state races, a third of delegates are also on the line for the Republican Presidential nomination between Trump and Nikki Haley. Trump currently leads with 122 to Haley's 24 delegates.