Democrat Adam Schiff, the California congressman who led the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump, has won his campaign for the US Senate.
In a state where Democratic voters easily outnumber Republicans, Schiff cruised to victory ahead of his opponent, Republican Steve Garvey, a former Major League Baseball player with no political experience who had dodged questions about whether he wouldn’t vote for Trump.
During an acceptance speech in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, as the country anxiously awaited the results of the presidential race, Schiff vowed to be a champion for all Californians and defend “democracy and our freedoms.”
“California will continue to be at the forefront of progress, the bastion of democracy, the champion of innovation and the protector of our rights and freedoms,” he said.
He urged his supporters to be patient as votes are counted in the US.
Meanwhile, Garvey relented in a speech to supporters in Southern California — expressing disappointment that he would not be part of the chamber, the Los Angeles Times reported.
With 44% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Schiff had nearly 60% of the vote, while Garvey had just over 40%, according to the Associated Press.
In this year’s March primary, Schiff had already defeated two progressive Democratic challengers: Congresswomen Barbara Lee, who represented Oakland, and Katie Porter, who represented a swing district in right-wing Orange County.
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Schiff came first in the primaries as a Democrat who had pledged “unequivocal support” for Israel and rejected calls for a ceasefire. Protesters shout “Let Gaza live!” and “Ceasefire now!” interrupted Schiff’s victory speech before the March primaries.
Schiff will fill the Senate seat that Dianne Feinstein held for 31 years until her death at age 90. Serving as a Democratic senator from California is not officially a lifetime appointment, but in practice, incumbents often serve for decades, making the role particularly important. powerful nationally and within the Democratic party.
In some ways, Schiff, a powerful campaign fundraiser, has already stepped into that leadership role. While Garvey made a last-minute effort to appeal to Latino voters with Spanish-language TV ads in the weeks before the election, Schiff was confident enough in his Senate victory that he spent time campaigning with Democratic congressional candidates in the statewide, as well as stumping for Democrats in states like Ohio and Florida.
Like Feinstein, Schiff is a more centrist Democrat, whose attempt to brand himself as progressive during the primaries was rejected by the Congressional Progressive caucus. His Senate campaign platform included support for abolishing the filibuster and the Electoral College, as well as expanding the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.
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