California voters cast ballots in primary elections on Tuesday, with much of what polls had predicted becoming reality.
In what many considered the most anticipated of Tuesdays races, Rep. Adam Schiff D-CA and former Major League baseball player Steve Garvey R-CA prevailed in the senate primary outpacing Rep. Katie Porter D-CA and Rep. Barbara Lee D-CA.
Schiff and Garvey are projected to advance to the general election according to the Associated Press. No results are official until the California Secretary of State certifies the vote.
Schiff, a prolific member of the Jan. 6 Committee and antagonist of former President Donald Trump, looks to take over the seat vacated by the late Dianne Feinstein.
“A little over year ago we kicked off this campaign and I won’t say it was without its bumps along the way. But you had my back every step of the way. You helped us build the biggest grassroots campaign for senate in California history and I can’t thank you enough,” Schiff said addressing supporters in Hollywood Tuesday night.
Schiff’s remarks were interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters chanting “ceasefire now” as the congressman attempted to continue his speech. Schiff, who has been a vocal supporter of Israel, voted in favor of sending more emergency aid after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
In the weeks leading up the election, Schiff’s super-pac spent $11.2 million on ads targeting Garvey. It has be suggested by Porter that this was an attempt to “box out” other qualified democrats.
“While the votes are still coming in, we know that tonight we’ll come up short. Our opponents threw everything, every trick, millions of dollars, every trick in the playbook to knock us off our feet. But I’m still standing in high heels,” Porter said addressing supporters in Long Beach Tuesday night.
Garvey, a former player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, has never held elected office and received the lowest amount of money in campaign contributions of the four major candidates, benefited largely from his public profile.
In his Tuesday victory speech, Garvey played into his past as a professional baseball player using colorful metaphors to describe the events of the evening.
“Welcome to the California comeback. What you’re all feeling tonight is what it feels like to hit a walk off home run, kinda like San Diego in ’84. Because the networks have called it, we’re going on to the general election,” Garvey said.
In Long Beach, former mayor and Congressman Robert Garcia is seeking a second term and had a strong showing Tuesday. He advanced to to the general election along with GOP candidate and former Ocean View School Board member, John Briscoe.
Unsurprisingly, President Joe Biden and former President Donald J. Trump won their respective California primaries, as both candidates start to shift their focus to the general election.
Proposition One was the only ballot initiative put forth this election cycle. The proposition aimed to address the issues of mental health and homelessness. If adopted, it would provide $6.4 billion to build 11,000 addiction and mental health treatment beds and provide for supporting housing for veterans.
As of 1 p.m. PST on Wednesday, the race on Prop One was too close to call.