Republican Garvey will target independents, soft Democrats, in bid against Schiff for Senate seat

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
AP Political Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republican former baseball star Steve Garvey is hoping to win over independents and soft Democratic voters in his longshot Senate campaign against Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. Garvey and Schiff have secured spots on the November ballot by outdistancing a crowded field for the seat once held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Garvey faces a tough challenge: Republicans haven’t elected a Senate candidate in heavily Democratic California since 1988. And registered Democrats hold a 2-to-1 margin over Republicans in the state. Garvey hopes to gain support from voters weary of the state’s left-leaning politics and homeless crisis, as well as rising gas and housing prices.