Two ex-Los Angeles Dodgers opted to endorse Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) in California’s Senate race over Republican Steve Garvey — their former teammate.
Garvey played for the Dodgers from 1969 to 1982 and the San Diego Padres from 1983 to 1987. Dave Stewart pitched 16 MLB seasons, including from 1978 to 1983 in Los Angeles, sharing a few years with Garvey.
“Barbara Lee has always fought the good fight to keep all Americans safe and protect our civil liberties, to keep our country moving forward in the right direction,” Stewart said. “She’s the only candidate with the skill set, evidence-based plan, and community-based footprint to reduce the cost of housing, tackle our homelessness crisis, and improve our economy.”
Stewart finished his career in 1995 with the Oakland Athletics. Four other A’s backed Lee’s long-shot Senate bid as well.
“I’m honored to receive the support of so many of baseball’s all-time greats, including former all-star and MVP Dave Stewart,” Lee said in a release about the endorsements on Wednesday. “As a longtime A’s fan, it means the world to me to have the support of A’s greats who have contributed so much to our community in Oakland and the East Bay. Our campaign is people-powered with a multiethnic, multigenerational coalition leading the way. The endorsement of these Bay area legends further illustrates our growing support and momentum.”
Among the former major leaguers backing Lee are Shooty Babitt, Tye Waller, Rickey Henderson, and Dusty Baker, who was Garvey’s teammate in Los Angeles from 1976 to 1982.
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Recent polling shows Lee far behind Garvey and the other two Democrats in the race — Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Katie Porter (D-CA). A new Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/the Hill California poll puts Schiff in the lead at 28% among likely voters, Garvey at 20%, Porter at 17%, and Lee with single digits at 8%.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Garvey’s team and Lee’s campaign for comment.
