The top four candidates seeking to succeed the late Dianne Feinstein and represent the Golden State in the U.S. Senate clashed Monday in a debate hosted and moderated by Inside California Politics.
Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee sought to outshine each other and sell themselves to voters as they sought to advance to November’s runoff elections. Meanwhile, Republican Steve Garvey sought to stake his claim as an alternative for Californians tired of the Democratic status quo.
Schiff, Porter and Lee appeared to have a tacit truce, but Democrats have repeatedly attacked the Los Angeles Dodgers legend, keeping him off balance and pushing him closer to Donald Trump. The idea was to make him into an aligned MAGA Republican.
Here are four moments people will be talking about after the California Senate debate.
playing cards
The 45th president of the United States and a front-runner for the Republican nomination was the main topic of Monday’s debate.
Three Democratic senators agree that Trump should not be allowed on the 2024 ballot, but would not hesitate to certify Trump’s victory if that were to happen. said.
“Donald Trump is an insurrectionist and should not be on the ballot,” Porter said.
Schiff has been a major thorn in Trump’s side during his one term as president, calling his former rival “the greatest threat to democracy.”
Garvey opposed Schiff’s declaration, calling the “dismantling of the Constitution” the greatest threat to democracy, specifically removing the filibuster from Senate proceedings and “packing” the Supreme Court.
Just as it did a few weeks ago when the four candidates sparred on the debate stage for the first time, Garvey’s decision not to impeach the former president again drew attention.
Garvey, who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, has refused for the second time to say who he will vote for in the 2024 presidential election.
“I think it’s a personal thing. I’ll make a decision when the time comes,” Garvey said. “And I hope this will stop the continued harassment and the use of the former president’s name as an attack against me.”
Indeed, the baseball legend said he has not spoken to the former president since the campaign began and has remained silent on whether he would accept President Trump’s endorsement.
crime
The topic of retail theft and snatch robbery has led to perhaps the most controversial moment in civil debate.
Schiff agreed that robberies and crime are a problem, adding that he has worked to build safe communities going back to his time as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have done so,” he said. ”
As a non-politician, Garvey took an even stronger stance, blaming California’s crimes on those in power, particularly naming his opponents in the debate.
“There has never been more crime on the streets of California than there is today. And my opponents here, career politicians, have been watching over it. They are responsible,” Garvey said. he said.
minimum wage
Rep. Lee recently made a splash by saying he believes the federal minimum wage should be increased, perhaps to $50 an hour.
On Monday, she stood by her position, citing a recent study that found the cost of living in the Bay Area requires a six-figure income. If the minimum wage is $50, that’s about $104,000.
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U.S. Senate candidate Adam Schiff (Democratic Party) participates in a debate on February 12, 2024, hosted by Nexstar. -
U.S. Senate candidate Steve Garvey (Republican) at a February 12, 2024 debate hosted by Nexstar. -
U.S. Senate candidate Katie Porter (Democratic) participates in a debate on February 12, 2024 hosted by Nexstar. -
U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Lee (Democratic) participates in a February 12, 2024 debate hosted by Nexstar.
Lee said $50 an hour is more than other increases proposed by his Democratic colleagues, but as far as affordability is concerned, a raise to the federal minimum is desperately needed.
“Just do the math. Of course there’s a national minimum wage, and we need to raise that to a living wage,” Lee said. “We’re talking $20, $25, fines.”
Garvey dismissed the idea, saying the federal minimum wage “is where it’s supposed to be and that’s how it should be.”
“A Big Mac costs $9, now it’s $15,” Garvey said.
israel-hamas war
Perhaps no topic has as wide a range of opinions as the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the war between Israel and Hamas.
Schiff is an outspoken supporter of Israel and its right to defend itself, and said of Hamas, “They wanted this kind of response.”
“Hamas threatens to attack again and again. No country can withstand that,” Schiff said. “At the same time, the president is right to continue to pressure Israel to avoid civilian casualties in order to minimize the loss of civilian life.”
Mr Porter called on the US and Israel to work to rebuild war-torn Gaza once the conflict ends and Hamas is removed from power.
“I think the people of Gaza absolutely need different leadership,” Porter said. “I believe any peace must come from the release of the hostages and a commitment from the United States and Israel to help Gaza rebuild and secure its future prosperity.”
Schiff, Lee, and Porter all advocated a “two-state solution” that would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Garvey called the idea “naive.”
“Israel will decide whether Hamas survives or not,” he said. “And it’s naive to think there could be a two-state solution, because one of those states will always try to annihilate Israel.”
favorite media
The other topic is not one that will determine the future of our country, but two simple questions were asked of the four candidates. It’s your favorite movie and the last book you read.
Garvey said his favorite movie is, fittingly, the baseball movie “The Natural,” directed by Robert Redford. Garvey said the last book he read was Os Guinness’s “The Case for Civility.”
Mr. Schiff chose “The Big Lebowski,” and said the last book he read was Ron Chernow’s “Grant,” a biography of the 18th president.
Lee’s favorite movie is “The Color Purple,” and the most recent book she read was “Beloved” by the late Toni Morrison.
The last book Porter read was “The Latecomers” by Helen Klein Ross, and her favorite movie was “Star Wars,” although she declined to say which one.
Who do you think won Monday’s debate? Tell us here.
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