Former President Donald Trump said on Friday that California GOP Senate candidate Steve Garvey has “no chance” of winning his race without support from MAGA.
Trump was in the Los Angeles area for a fundraiser Thursday and a speech Friday at his golf course in the coastal community of Rancho Palos Verdes. After the speech, Trump was asked whether he will endorse Garvey in the Senate race against U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff.
“I don’t know much about Steve Garvey. I think he’s made a big mistake because he hasn’t reached out to MAGA,” Trump said. “If he doesn’t have MAGA, he has no chance.”
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The former major league baseball player has distanced himself from the Republican presidential nominee as he campaigns in deep blue California.
“I’m hearing he wants the MAGA endorsement, but he’s got to call me. If he had the MAGA endorsement, he could win,” Trump added.
No Republican has won a statewide office in California since 2006.
In a statement to NBC4, Steve Garvey said he’s only focused on the issues that matter most to Californians.
“Since day one, I’ve ran a different type of campaign, I have not taken or asked for a single political endorsement, the only endorsements I want are from the law enforcement community and first responders,” Garvey said.
Garvey will face Burbank Congressman Schiff in November, a vocal critic of Trump who helped lead the impeachment efforts against him. Trump used the opportunity Friday to rail against Schiff, calling him “one of the most disgusting human beings.”
“You have one of the sleaziest politicians in history,” the former president said of Schiff. “And to think he’s going to be Senator, that’s why you need me as president.”
In a social media post, Schiff responded to the attacks from Mr. Trump, saying “I don’t think he likes me.”
Earlier Friday, Trump spoke at Trump National Golf Course with the Pacific Ocean in the background. The seaside community has been plagued by landslides that forced people from their homes.
Trump briefly addressed the land movement and voiced support for residents. Local leaders were doing a "great job" of responding to the crisis, he said. About a dozen people gathered along the road leading into the golf club. Some held signs reading "Save Our Homes" and "Slip Sliding Away." Other signs read "200+ Homes, No Gas, No Power, No Help."
Trump, fresh off Tuesday's debate with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, also met with RPV Mayor John Cruikshank.
"I want to express my support for all of the families affected by the landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes," Trump said. "This area is very solid, but you go a couple of miles down, you'll see something that's pretty amazing. The mountain is moving. And it could be stopped but they need some help from the government. So I hope they get the help. And I'm sure John will have the help. And I want to thank the mayor for the great job he's doing, and tell that to the people, what a great job he's doing."
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the seaside community earlier this month a day after more homes lost power due to the shifting land.
Trump also spent a lengthy amount of time disparaging his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump was expected to head to Woodside in Northern California for another fundraiser. He was scheduled to attend an evening reception Thursday for a fundraiser in the LA area, according to a post by the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. The location for the event, which comes just over 50 days ahead of Election Day, was not provided.
Attending the event cost a minimum of $3,300, according to City News Service.
The GOP presidential nominee was last in Southern California in June, when he attended a sold- out luncheon event in Newport Beach and an evening event in Beverly Hills. That visit was Trump's first to Southern California since Sept. 29-30, when he spoke at the California Republican Party Fall Convention in Anaheim and a fundraiser in Costa Mesa and visited the Carvel Ice Cream shop in Westwood.
The Southern California visit follows a stop Thursday in Arizona for a rally in Tucson. Also Thursday, Trump said in a Truth Social post that there will not be another debate against his Democratic rival.
NBCLA's Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.
