Can underdogs win in California?
Steve Garvey has lived it and, apparently, still believes it.
Garvey's walk-off home run against powerhouse Chicago Cubs reliever Lee Smith in Game 4 of the 1984 National League Championship Series helped propel the perpetual underdog San Diego Padres to their first-ever World Series appearance.
Garvey's blast remains among the most memorable moments in San Diego Stadium and Padres history and is regarded by many as the top sports moment in the city’s history.
Now, Garvey is swinging for the U.S. Senate fences in 2024.
As a Republican, the former Los Angeles Dodgers and Padres star faces a steep uphill climb as he seeks the Senate seat held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
"I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents. I played for all of you," Garvey says in a video announcing his campaign. "In baseball, it's not about the individual; it's about the team," he said in a statement. "I believe the same holds true for politics. It's time we come together, find common ground, and work towards a brighter future."
Garvey said California was once the heartbeat of America but now the Golden State is "just a murmur."
Democrat Sen. Laphonza Butler, the former president of Emily's List, has filled Feinstein's vacant seat, following an appointment from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Reports say it is unclear if Butler will run for the seat in 2024.
Three Democrats — Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Katie Porter — are running for the seat in 2024.
The Los Angeles Times noted that Garvey, 74, had been in talks with GOP state leaders and donors for months about a potential Senate run due to his concerns about dysfunction in the nation’s capital. The LA Times cited Garvey as saying that he decided to make the Senate run official after “a Giants fan came up to me and said, ‘Garvey, I hate the Dodgers, but I’ll vote for you.’ ”
Garvey, a first baseman, played for the Dodgers from 1969 to 1982 and for the Padres from 1983 to 1987. He was on the World Series champion Dodgers club of 1981, won the National League MVP award in 1974, was a 10-time National League All-Star, and won four Gold Glove awards.
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