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GOP Senate Candidate Steve Garvey (Photo: Garvey for Senate)

Senate Race Heats Up As Schiff, Garvey Go After Each Other Over Labor Unions

Garvey-Schiff enter first major post-primary clash

By Evan Symon, June 21, 2024 8:00 am

21 Jun 2024 8:00 am

The 2024 U.S. Senate race reached the first major post-primary clash this week as both Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and former baseball star Steve Garvey (R) went after each other over labor union.

U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-28) addressing the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention at the George R. Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, June 1, 2019. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)

While both Garvey and Schiff had gone after each other previously, especially during the primary debates, Schiff being busy in Washington and Garvey preparing his campaign while making some appearances in California have largely kept the two apart. While they did both give opinions both on the Gaza War and over campus protesters, little clash was seen between them. In fact, UC Berkeley took away one of the debates this year because of perceived future problems with Gaza protesters. So far this year, the biggest argument between the two has been over Congresswoman and former Senate primary candidate Barbara Lee’s (D-CA) decision to endorse Schiff. While Garvey denounced Schiff for accepting her endorsement, Schiff failed to respond to any and all criticisms over his decision.

This led to Tuesday, when Schiff was in La Palma at an ironworkers training center. There, Schiff blasted Garvey over allegedly not supporting labor, and even saying that he would be against healthcare and retirement plans.

“I support their ability to work together to bargain for good healthcare, a retirement, to be able to provide for their family,” said Schiff on Tuesday. “I don’t think Mr. Garvey particularly cares about those things. Not very supportive at all of working people, let alone labor, and I think that is a big distinguishing factor.

“He was a great baseball player. I take nothing away from his performance as a baseball player. It’s not the same skills. He’s probably a good person to go to if you want information about the designated hitter rule, but if you want to know how do we build things in California, how do we get things done, how do we address public safety challenges – he doesn’t have any idea.”

Schiff, Garvey on unions

However, Garvey, who had just returned from Washington to attend the Congressional baseball game, quickly retorted that “As a proud former member of the Major League Baseball Players Association and SAG-AFTRA, I understand the importance of fair treatment and advocacy for workers. My policy priorities include fostering economic growth, reducing the cost of living, and creating a business environment where both small businesses and labor can thrive together. We need to protect our working families and provide them with the tools they need to succeed, rather than burden them with excessive regulations and taxes that stifle job creation and economic opportunity.”
As both candidates are going after not only the labor vote but also periphery groups such as the working class and Hispanic voters, who comprise the fastest growing union base in California, labor could be key in some area.
“Garvey responded that fast to Schiff for a reason,” explained Angela Hewitt, a Washington based elections analyst, to the Globe on Thursday. “Both need labor, and right now, Garvey has big enough a chunk of it to make Schiff Annoyed. Schiff definitely has more labor voters than Garvey. But he should be dominating union voters right now. He has union endorsements, for sure, but union workers aren’t sheep, and more than expected are bucking that trend for Garvey. Because it isn’t a one issue race. Crime, homelessness and other issues are at the top. But Garvey defended himself, with him being a former union members in several unions and backing policies in his platform that Schiff said he wasn’t for sort of disarming him there.”
Other issues are expected to come to the forefront of the campaign in the coming weeks as both candidates ramp up their campaigns.
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One thought on “Senate Race Heats Up As Schiff, Garvey Go After Each Other Over Labor Unions”

  1. You are not getting a real candidate, if any government employee union backs them. You are getting tool to fleece tax payers even more, who has been handed union talking points. You are getting a bot, sold to their highest bid.

    Who do you think provides all the “ballot harvesters” and the Democrat GOTV ground troops – the unions who have immediate, direct and existential interests in the tax payer check books.

    We have seen this play out too many times on school boards and city councils. No less so at the federal level too. Do not vote for Adam Schiff – you are getting only one more union tool and a perfectly awful person at the same time .

    There is no risk NOT voting for Adam Schiff – he is a dime a dozen. Put your money and the future of this country in a non-politician like Steve Garvey. Put your vote back closer to the people, who are endowed to govern this country. Not in professional union lackies like Adam Schiff. Not good at all.

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