The post was previously held by Diane Feinstein, who passed last year, for more than three decades.
Schiff’s and Garvey’s advancement marks a new era in Californian politics. It presents a rare opportunity for the GOP to compete for a Senate seat in a Democratic stronghold, where a Republican hasn’t won in the state since 2006.
It’s also a win for Schiff, who spent over 30 million dollars on ads that attacked Garvey, a former Los Angeles Dodgers player. Schiff, the lead prosecutor in Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, frequently drew comparisons between Garvey and Trump.
Representative Katie Porter, an Orange County Democrat that finished in third place, accused Schiff of boosting Garvey’s name recognition to avoid a runoff, a close election with another Democrat. Under California primary rules, the top two vote-getters regardless of party face each other in the fall.
It will be the first time in over 30 years that California will not have a woman in the Senate.
As Schiff celebrated his victory on Tuesday night, protestors calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip interrupted proceedings.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Schiff leads with 33.2% of the votes and Garvey close behind with 32.5%, according to AP News. Nearly half of the votes cast in California have been counted.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Yana Savitsky.