Longtime Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff of Burbank will win the U.S. Senate seat to represent California, beating first-time Republican candidate Steve Garvey by more than 20%, NBC News projected Tuesday.
With over 7% of the votes counted as soon as polls closed across the state, Schiff was leading with at least 57% of the votes, compared to Garvey's 42%.
Schiff, who had fended off two other Democratic members of Congress, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, in the primary race, has been considered a heavy favorite with endorsements from House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Maxine Waters in the deep-blue state.
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Polls consistently showed Schiff was leading by more than 20% despite Garvey calling Schiff a “career politician” who hasn’t done much for Californians for more than two decades.
The former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the House Select Committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol continuously tied Garvey with former President Donald Trump while blasting the Dodger great for his stance on reproductive rights and abortion.
Schiff would now serve the remainder of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s term, which ends in January, and the new six-year-term.
Schiff, who has been representing the greater Los Angeles area since Congress in 2000, also served as a California state senator and as an assistant U.S. Attorney.
Garvey, who ran for office for the first time, attempted to become the first Republican since 1992 to represent California in the U.S. Senate.
