Poll: Republicans Could Have Chance in California U.S. Senate Primary

Los Angeles Dodgers legend Steve Garvey throws out a ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers take on the Atlanta Braves in Game Four of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Oct. 7, 2013. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Former baseball star Steve Garvey is gaining ground in the race to fill the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat, giving Republicans their first chance at the seat in more than 35 years.

The former first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres ranked third in the most recent poll by Emerson College published Nov. 17.

The survey of California voters showed Mr. Garvey, 74, trailing Democrat Rep. Katie Porter by 3 percentage points, taking 10 percent of the votes, which is within the poll’s margin of error of 3 percentage points.

In first place was Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff who garnered 16 percent of the poll’s voters.

Rep. Barbara Lee, who took first at the California Democratic Convention Nov. 18 but was unable to obtain the party’s endorsement—which required 60 percent of delegate votes—came in fourth in the poll. She trailed Mr. Garvey by 1 percent.

According to the poll, 39 percent surveyed were undecided in the race to replace Ms. Feinstein, who died while in office Sept. 29.

“Older voters are more tuned in to the Senate race at this time than their younger counterparts: a plurality of voters under 60 are undecided, while those over 60 are split between candidates,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a statement Nov. 17.

Among voters surveyed in their 60s, 24 percent supported Mr. Schiff, 19 percent preferred Ms. Porter, while Ms. Lee and Mr. Garvey both earned 13 percent each, according to the poll.

Other candidates running for the seat who earned enough votes in the poll to be ranked include Republicans James Bradley, a former veteran and tech executive, and attorney Eric Early, who received 3 percent and 2 percent respectively. Former reporter and Democrat Christina Pascucci earned 2 percent from those polled.

A little more than three months remain before the state’s March 5 primary election, when the top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election.

Real estate investor and businessman John Seymour from Orange County was the last Republican senator from California. He was appointed in 1991 by Gov. Pete Wilson, who vacated the seat when he was elected governor. Mr. Seymour served from 1991 to 1992. He was defeated in the 1992 general election by Ms. Feinstein, who became the longest-serving senator from California.

The survey was conducted from Nov. 11 to 14 by Emerson College Polling and sponsored by Nexstar Media. Pollsters contacted 1,000 registered voters by landline and weighted the results by gender, age, party, race, and education based on U.S. Census parameters and state voter registration and turnout data, according to Emerson College.

The late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) leaves the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 20, 2021. Ms. Feinstein died in office on Sept. 29, and as a temporary replacement, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler, who has said she will not run in the next election. Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters