Former Los Angeles Dodgers Star Announces Run for Office
Steve Garvey is running for the United States Senate seat in California.
A former MLB star is looking to make an impact in a different field. According to the Associated Press, Steve Garvey, who won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, joined the race Tuesday to succeed the late California Senator Dianne Feinstein. Garvey, 74, launched his campaign with a video that reflected his time playing baseball.
"Over 50 years ago, I came to California for the first time ... September 1st of 1969, the Dodgers called me up and my dreams came true," Garvey said in the video, per TMZ Sports. "Over the next 20 years, I played for the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. I played in front of millions of fans. I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents. I played for all of you. Now I'm running for the U.S. Senate in California. A state that I believe at one time was the heartbeat of America. And now it's just a murmur."
Former Dodgers great Steve Garvey is taking a swing at the U.S. Senate. He is running as a Republican in California, hoping to fill the seat held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. https://t.co/8BW3HIL56Z pic.twitter.com/ArEVQ3lwgh
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 10, 2023
Garvey is running as a Republican and is fighting an uphill battle as the GOP hasn't won a California Senate race in 35 years. The former NL MVP recently said he voted for Donald Trump in the past but had not decided on a pick for the 2024 presidential race.
"I'm running the Steve Garvey campaign," he said. "We need to bring people together again." Garvey confirmed in June that he was considering running for Senate and kicked the tires on entering politics after announcing his retirement from baseball. In June, Garvey said he was motivated to run by the "quality of life stress" that has spread through California and added his campaign would be focused on reducing crime, improving education, working to limit inflation and trimming soaring gas prices.
Garvey began his MLB career with the Dodgers in 1969. He was with the team until the end of the 1982 season and then played for the San Diego Padres from 1983 to 1987. Garvey helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1981 and won the NL MVP award in 1974 after recording a .312 batting average while hitting 21 home runs with 111 RBIs. He was selected to play in the All-Star game 10 times, won the Gold Glove Award four times as a first baseman and was named NLCS MVP in 1978 and 1984.