Baseball Legend Weighs California GOP Senate Bid: Report

LOS ANGELES, CA — Former Dodger and Padres first baseman Steve Garvey is reportedly considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Dianne Feinstein. It would make him the best-known Republican candidate to run in a state that hasn't elected a GOP candidate for statewide office in almost two decades.

Sources within the state Republican Party told the Los Angeles Times Garvey has been meeting with GOP donors and leaders to discuss the possibility of a run. As a political candidate, he's a novice, but as a baseball player he was famously a fan favorite known for mixing with fans and signing autographs.

Republican strategist Andy Gharakhani told the paper he is advising Garvey, who has been contacted by leaders of both political parties about becoming a candidate, "and he's seriously considering it."

"We should have a decision made here in the next few weeks," Gharakhani told the paper.

If he were to jump into the race as a Republican, he would immediately become the most well-known GOP hopeful, despite his lack of any elective political experience. The field of announced candidates thus far is largely dominated by Democrats, most notably Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee.

In deep blue California, even a World Series champ and 10-time All-Star is an underdog with an 'R' next to their name. But as a former member of both the Dodgers and Padres, Garvey's name carries significant celebrity and recognition in two major portions of the state. He played for the Dodgers from 1969 to 1983 and for the Padres from 1983 to 1987.

"He's a very well-known former athlete in California, and, assuming a strong and competent candidacy, I think he would absolutely have the opportunity to consolidate the Republican vote in the primary," GOP strategist Rob Stutzman told The Times.

The paper noted that Garvey, 74, went on record in 1981 saying he had been approached about running for Senate. He later attended the Republican National Convention and raised money for then-candidate George H.W. Bush.

In May, he attended a state Republican donor event in Rancho Mirage, and his potential candidacy was "openly discussed at the event," an attendee told The Times. Earlier this week, he took part in a fundraiser for Orange County Rep. Michelle Steel in Newport Beach.

Garvey would not be the first political outsider to sit at the top of his party's ticket in California. In fact, Republicans have put forth political newcomers time and again for statewide office in California. Most famously, Arnold Schwarzenegger won the governorship in a 2003 recall without ever having held office. And both of Gov. Gavin Newsom's Republican opponents in 2018 (John Cox) and the 2021 recall election (Larry Elder) had never held public office before becoming major party nominees.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.