Former Padres and Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey announced his candidacy for a United States Senate seat in California as a Republican in the 2024 election.
Garvey, who spent 14 seasons in Los Angeles and five in San Diego, has never run for public office. However, the 74-year-old is no stranger to the political landscape as he has previously lobbied for bills centered around fitness in the nation’s capital, according to the Orange County Register.
In an interview leading up to his campaign announcement, Garvey stated that he wants to serve as a “fresh voice with fresh ideas” in a political landscape that has become a constant “bickering back and forth among politicians.”
“The last few years, I’ve been more and more concerned about what’s happening in our society and the quality of our life and the dysfunction of Washington,” Garvey said, per Kaitlyn Schallhorn of the Register. “I’ve got to stand up if there’s a way to actually run and be heard, and I think there is.”
With his bid for office official, the four-time Gold Glove Award winner is seeking to replace the late and longtime California senator Dianne Feinstein, who died in September.
After Feinstein’s death, several candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties announced their bids to run for the vacant seat in addition to Garvey. The last time a Republican claimed a seat in the U.S. Senate was in ’88 when Pete Wilson was re-elected in his final term before going on to become the governor of California, per the Register.
In his 18-year MLB career, Garvey was named an All-Star 10 times, and helped the Dodgers capture the ’81 World Series title. He also earned the ’74 National League MVP and won a NL Championship MVP with both Los Angeles and San Diego.
