Democrat Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey set to compete for California Senate seat

TEMPERATURES COMING UP. BRANDI: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE NEW DATA FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS SHOWS THAT INFLATION SLOWED AGAIN FOR THE SEVENTH STRAIGHT MONTH. BUT IT’S A MIX OF GOOD AND BAD NEWS. PRICES ROSE 6.4% IN JANUARY COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. IN DECEMBER, IT WAS 6.5%, SO A LITTLE PROGRESS WAS MADE. BUT OVERALL, IT’S WELL BELOW THE PEAK OF 9.1% IN JUNE. BUT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, PRICES ROSE 0.5% FROM DECEMBER TO JANUARY. THAT’S A LOT HIGHER THAN THE 0.1% FROM THE PRIOR REPORT. WHILE OVERALL INFLATION IS SLOWING DOWN, IT’S STILL FAR BELOW THE FEDERAL RESERVE’S ANNUAL INFLATION TARGET OF 2%. ADDING TO THE PROBLEM IS THE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED JOBS THAT WERE ADDED LAST MONTH, MEANING THE FED FACES A TOUGHER JOB OF BALANCING THE ECONOMY WHEN IT COMES TO INTEREST RATE HIKES. THIS MORNING, WE WELCOME CONGRESSMAN ADAM SCHIFF. CONGRESSMAN, GOOD MORNING. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. WE HEARD THAT NEWS ABOUT THE ECONOMY. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A BIG CONCERN FOR PEOPLE. WHAT IS CONGRESS DOING TO ADDRESS IT? >> THE HIGH COST OF FUEL AND OTHER NECESSITIES IS MAKING IT HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET BY. I HAVE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO SUSPEND THE FEDERAL GAS TAX AND PAY FOR IT WITH A WINDFALL PROFIT TAX ON THE COMPANIES. WE ARE PAYING SO MUCH AT THE PUMP. THE OIL COMPANIES ARE MAKING RECORD PROFITS, SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE TIMES THAN IN PAST YEARS. WE ARE GETTING GOUGED AND THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT POWERLESS TO DO THAT -- TO DO SOMETHING. IF WE CAN BRING DOWN ENTERGY -- ENERGY COSTS, THAT WOULD HELP A GREAT DEAL. WE NEED TO DO MORE TO GET BY. I WANT TO SEE US ONCE AGAIN AT RESTORE THE CHILD TAX CREDIT THAT WAS HELPING FAMILIES AFFORD CHILDCARE AND OTHER NECESSITIES. YOU TALKED ABOUT GAS TAX LEGISLATION PAIRED WHERE DOES THAT STAND NOW? REP. SCHIFF: I WILL BE REINTRODUCING IT THIS SESSION. LEGISLATORS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY SUPPORT LOWERING TAXES AT THE PUMP OR WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO DEFEND THE WINDFALL PROFITS OF OIL COMPANIES AND KEEP THOSE TAXES WHERE THEY ARE. I THINK IT IS AN EASY TO -- AN EASY CHOICE FOR ME. I HOPE IT WILL BE AN EASY CHOICE FOR OTHERS. BRANDI: ONE OTHER TOPIC WE WANT TO ADDRESS THIS MORNING REPUBLICAN SENATOR RECENTLY SAID , A IF THINGS DON’T CHANGE, THERE COULD BE POSSIBLY A 24% REDUCTION IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE BENEFITS. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO AVOID THAT? REP. SCHIFF: THAT’S A NONSTARTER AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED AND AS FAR AS PRESIDENT BIDEN IS CONCERNED. SOME REPUBLICANS HOPE TO USE EITHER THE DEBT CEILING OR THE THREAT OF CLOSING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE. THAT IS NEVER GOING TO FLY. PEOPLE ARE NOSE BENEFITS, RELY ON THOSE BENEFITS. THAT IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. BRANDI: SO, CALIFORNIANS SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT? REP. SCHIFF: NOT AS LONG AS JOE BIDEN IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT THAT IN THE HOUSE. THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PASS SOME STUFF IN THE HOUSE, BUT THEY WILL NEVER GET THROUGH THE SENATE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE HAVE EARNED. IT IS NOT FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO BE TAKING THOSE AWAY. BRANDI: THERE IS ALSO, IN THE NEWS THIS MORNING, QUITE A BIT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE RECENT NEWS OF OBJECTS FLYING OVER THE U.S. SO FAR, THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS COME UNDER FIRE FOR LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THIS. OBVIOUSLY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON. WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF INFORMATION SO FAR? REP. SCHIFF: I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION DID THE RIGHT THING SHOOTING THE FIRST BALLOON DOWN, BUT WAITING UNTIL IT WAS NOT OVER LAND. WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER A LOT OF WHAT WAS DOWNED. I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION. AT THE SAME TIME, WE CLEARLY HAVE TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER SENSE OF WHAT IS IN OUR AIRSPACE, BECAUSE I’M SURE IT’S NOT THE CASE THAT WE HAVE SEEN FOUR INTRUSIONS IN OUR AIRSPACE JUST THIS MONTH AND THIS WAS NOT A FUNCTION IN THE PAST. I’M SURE THERE WERE OTHER INTRUSIONS IN THE PAST THAT WE SIMPLY DID NOT CATCH. IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, WE PASSED LEGISLATION LAST SESSION TO BETTER STUDY SOME OF THESE UNEXPLAINED AERIAL PHENOMENON, TO SET UP A UNIT AT THE PENTAGON TO DO THAT. THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOW SETTING UP THEIR OWN TASK FORCE. I THINK THOSE STEPS MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. BRANDI: WE DO KNOW THERE’S A CLASSIFIED BRIEFING HAPPENING TODAY WITH SENATORS. SHOULD PEOPLE BE CONCERNED? REP. SCHIFF: THERE ARE TWO CONCERNS. THE FIRST HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CHINESE SURVEILLANCE BALLOON. THAT COULD POTENTIALLY GATHER COMMUNICATIONS IT HAS THE ABILITY TO HOVER, WHICH WOULD ALLOW BETTER IMAGERY, COMPARED TO A SATELLITE. FROM AN INTELLIGENCE GATHERING A POINT OF VIEW BY AN ADVERSARY, WE SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT. THESE OTHER BALLOONS, IF THEY ARE BALLOONS, WERE AT LOWER ALTITUDES. THEY ARE, THE CONCERN IS YOU COULD HAVE A CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT COLLIDE WITH ONE OF THESE THINGS AND CAUSE CALAMITY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO GET A MUCH BETTER SENSE OF WHAT IS IN OUR AIRSPACE. BRANDI: ANOTHER ONE OF THE REASONS YOU’RE TRAVELING THE STATE IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED YOUR BID FROM SENATE. WE DO HAVE TO ASK IF YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED THIS BID AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE A CROWDED FIELD. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS COMING EVEN THOUGH SENATOR FEINSTEIN HAS NOT ANNOUNCED THAT SHE IS NOT GOING TO RUN. WOULD YOU STILL FACE HER IN THIS RACE IF SHE DECIDES TO RUN FOR HER SEAT? REP. SCHIFF: I WENT TO SEE SENATOR FEINSTEIN BEFORE I STARTED EXPORTING THIS WITH PEOPLE. I TOLD HER I WANTED TO GET OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR SENATE. SHE MADE IT CLEAR THAT SHE WAS INTERESTED IN FINISHING HER TURN, BUT DIDN’T SAY IF SHE WAS INTERESTED IN RUNNING AGAIN. I SPOKE TO HER BEFORE WE MADE OUR ANNOUNCEMENT. SHE WAS VERY GRACIOUS ABOUT IT. I THINK THE SENATOR WILL ANNOUNCE HER ATTENTIONS -- INTENTIONS WHEN SHE FEELS THE TIME IS RIGHT. TURK CREDIT, I THING SHE GOT WHERE SHE IS TODAY AND BROKEN THE GLASS CEILING SHE HAS BROKEN BY NOT LETTING OTHER PEOPLE TELL HER WHAT SHE CAN AND CANNOT DO. BRANDI: BUT TO THE QUESTION, IF SHE ANNOUNCES AND DECIDES TO CONTINUE TO RUN, WILL YOU STAY IN THE RACE? REP. SCHIFF: I DON’T WANT TO PREEMPT ANYTHING SHE IS GOING TO SAY. I THINK SHE WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE NEXT WEEKS OR MONTHS. OUT OF RESPECT FOR HER, I WANT HER TO MAKE HER OWN STATEMENT. BRANDI: WE WILL HAVE SOME OTHER INTERVIEWS WITH YOU TODAY. WE WILL HEAR FROM YOU THROUGHOUT THE DAY HERE AT KCRA

Republican Steve Garvey is advancing to a November election to fill the U.S. Senate seat held for three decades by the late Dianne Feinstein, a rare opportunity for the GOP to compete in a marquee statewide race in this Democratic stronghold. File video above: Rep. Adam Schiff talks inflation, Senate run as he visits Sacramento in 2023 The former baseball MVP who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will face Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.California puts all candidates, regardless of party, on the same primary ballot and the two who get the most votes advance to the general election. That means Republicans are sometimes shut out of high profile statewide races given the grip Democrats hold on the state. The GOP has failed to advance a candidate to the general election in two of California’s last three U.S. Senate races.Still, Democrats are expected to easily hold the Senate seat in November, a relief for the party as it seeks to defend a narrow majority. A Republican hasn’t won a Senate race in California since 1988.But the campaign nonetheless represents a new era in California politics, which was long dominated by Feinstein and a handful of other veteran politicians.The race is California’s first open U.S. Senate contest since 2016. Even before Feinstein announced in early 2023 she would not seek reelection, many of the state’s ambitious Democrats were eagerly awaiting their shot at the coveted seat.Garvey’s candidacy, buoyed by name recognition among older voters in particular, threw an unexpected twist into the race. The dynamic between Schiff and U.S. Rep. Katie Porter grew increasingly tense in the campaign’s closing weeks as both vied for a general election spot.The first-time candidate Garvey notched his spot on the fall ballot by positioning himself as an outsider running against entrenched Washington insiders who he blamed for rising grocery and gas prices, out-of-reach housing costs and an unchecked homeless crisis in cities.He owes a debt of thanks to Schiff and supportive super political action committees, which ran millions of dollars in advertising spotlighting Garvey’s conservative credentials, which indirectly boosted his visibility among Republican and right-leaning voters.He enters the fall campaign a long shot to fill the seat.The state Republican Party has been in a decades-long tailspin in heavily Democratic California, where a GOP candidate hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race since 1988 and registered Democrats outnumber Republican voters by a staggering 2-to-1 margin. Republicans didn’t even have a candidate on the general election ballot in the 2016 and 2018 Senate races.Garvey is hoping to follow a pathway cut by other famous athletes-turned-politicians that includes former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a one-time bodybuilder and actor who became the last Republican to hold the state’s top job, Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, a former NFL player, and former professional basketball great Bill Bradley, who became a long-serving U.S. senator in New Jersey.He calls himself a “conservative moderate” and argues he should not be buttonholed into conventional labels, such as former President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again political movement.Garvey has twice voted for Trump, who lost California in landslides but remains popular among GOP voters, but he has said he hasn’t made up his mind about this year’s presidential contest. He personally opposes abortion rights but does not support a nationwide abortion ban and will “always uphold the voice of the people,” alluding to the state’s longstanding tilt in favor of abortion rights.He also had to overcome the resurfacing of tawdry details about his private life, including having two children with women he wasn’t married to, that had undercut the clean-cut public persona he cultivated in his Dodger days.

File video above: Rep. Adam Schiff talks inflation, Senate run as he visits Sacramento in 2023

The former baseball MVP who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will face Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.

California puts all candidates, regardless of party, on the same primary ballot and the two who get the most votes advance to the general election. That means Republicans are sometimes shut out of high profile statewide races given the grip Democrats hold on the state. The GOP has failed to advance a candidate to the general election in two of California’s last three U.S. Senate races.

Still, Democrats are expected to easily hold the Senate seat in November, a relief for the party as it seeks to defend a narrow majority. A Republican hasn’t won a Senate race in California since 1988.

But the campaign nonetheless represents a new era in California politics, which was long dominated by Feinstein and a handful of other veteran politicians.

The race is California’s first open U.S. Senate contest since 2016. Even before Feinstein announced in early 2023 she would not seek reelection, many of the state’s ambitious Democrats were eagerly awaiting their shot at the coveted seat.

Garvey’s candidacy, buoyed by name recognition among older voters in particular, threw an unexpected twist into the race. The dynamic between Schiff and U.S. Rep. Katie Porter grew increasingly tense in the campaign’s closing weeks as both vied for a general election spot.

The first-time candidate Garvey notched his spot on the fall ballot by positioning himself as an outsider running against entrenched Washington insiders who he blamed for rising grocery and gas prices, out-of-reach housing costs and an unchecked homeless crisis in cities.

He owes a debt of thanks to Schiff and supportive super political action committees, which ran millions of dollars in advertising spotlighting Garvey’s conservative credentials, which indirectly boosted his visibility among Republican and right-leaning voters.

He enters the fall campaign a long shot to fill the seat.

The state Republican Party has been in a decades-long tailspin in heavily Democratic California, where a GOP candidate hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race since 1988 and registered Democrats outnumber Republican voters by a staggering 2-to-1 margin. Republicans didn’t even have a candidate on the general election ballot in the 2016 and 2018 Senate races.

Garvey is hoping to follow a pathway cut by other famous athletes-turned-politicians that includes former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a one-time bodybuilder and actor who became the last Republican to hold the state’s top job, Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, a former NFL player, and former professional basketball great Bill Bradley, who became a long-serving U.S. senator in New Jersey.

He calls himself a “conservative moderate” and argues he should not be buttonholed into conventional labels, such as former President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again political movement.

Garvey has twice voted for Trump, who lost California in landslides but remains popular among GOP voters, but he has said he hasn’t made up his mind about this year’s presidential contest. He personally opposes abortion rights but does not support a nationwide abortion ban and will “always uphold the voice of the people,” alluding to the state’s longstanding tilt in favor of abortion rights.

He also had to overcome the resurfacing of tawdry details about his private life, including having two children with women he wasn’t married to, that had undercut the clean-cut public persona he cultivated in his Dodger days.

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