GOP Garvey Tops Schiff in Spring Fundraising in Race for Feinstein’s Seat

The Republican candidate took in $1 million more, but the Democrat still has a big edge in cash on hand.

(Left) Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) speaks at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 25, 2023. (Right) Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Garvey speaks at an election-night watch party in Palm Desert, Calif., on March 5, 2024. Kevin Dietsch, Mario Tama/Getty Images

U.S. Senate candidate Steve Garvey raised more money than his opponent, Rep. Adam Schiff (d-Calif.), in the spring as the two compete for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s California seat.

The former Major League Baseball star, a Republican, raked in $5.4 million in the second quarter, which ran from April 1 to June 30, while Mr. Schiff took in $4.2 million, according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

“Californians are tired of the status quo, they are tired of the division, they are tired of Washington D.C. not working together, they are tired of Adam Schiff representing his party bosses rather than them, and now they are speaking up with their checkbooks,” Mr. Garvey wrote in a statement on X July 16.

Mr. Schiff’s campaign declined to comment on the fundraising totals.

Mr. Garvey has less cash on hand, however, with nearly $3.3 million compared to Mr. Schiff’s nearly $6.5 million, according to information provided to The Epoch Times by Mr. Garvey’s office.

July 15 filings were yet not available through the FEC’s website.

Individual donations made through political party websites have boosted both campaigns.

By the end of March, Mr. Garvey had received several smaller donations from WinRed, a Republican Party fundraising platform. By April, WinRed donations totaled nearly $113,000 for the candidate, according to Open Secrets, a national research and government transparency group that tracks money in politics.

“I appreciate every dollar contributed to our mission of bringing civility and leadership back to Washington D.C.,” Mr. Garvey said in a statement on X Tuesday.

WinRed is meant to compete with the Democratic Party’s successful ActBlue website which allows donors from across the country to fund candidates and causes they support. ActBlue donations for Mr. Schiff reached nearly $755,000 by March 31, according to Open Secrets.

Mr. Schiff held commanding leads in a poll published by the Public Policy Institute of California in June. The statewide survey taken from May 23 to June 2 of about 1,100 likely voters showed Mr. Schiff leading Mr. Garvey 62 percent to 37 percent.

The poll showed 90 percent of Republicans favored Mr. Garvey while independents were more evenly divided with 53 percent favoring Mr. Schiff and 45 percent picking Mr. Garvey.

Mr. Schiff barely won the March primary election among a crowded field of candidates, earning 31.6 percent of the vote, or about 2.304 million. Mr. Garvey came in second with 3,478 fewer votes. He took in 31.5 percent, or 2.301 million votes.