Former President Trump declined to endorse Republican candidate Steve Garvey in California’s U.S. Senate race during a stop in the state Friday, saying the former Dodger has not asked for his support.
“I don’t know much about Steve Garvey,” Trump said. “I think he’s made a big mistake because he hasn’t reached out to MAGA, and if he doesn’t have MAGA he’s got no chance.”
Trump made his remarks during an event at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course, ahead of a planned fundraising event in the Bay Area on Friday afternoon.
Trump went on to contradict himself by saying that Garvey could win if he got the “MAGA endorsement,” but also that Garvey couldn’t win because California doesn’t have fair elections.
“If you had an honest election, he’d win. But you don’t have an honest election,” said Trump.
In response to Trump’s comments, Garvey said he was running “a different type of campaign” in which he has “not taken or asked for a single political endorsement” other than from “the law enforcement community and first responders.”
Garvey said he is focused on reaching out to California’s Latino community and “the issues that truly matter to Californians — affordability, public safety, securing the border, fixing the homeless crisis and restoring California’s leadership.”
Trump also attacked Garvey’s opponent in the Senate race, Rep. Adam B. Schiff. The Burbank Democrat has been one of Trump’s chief antagonists for years, helping to lead the investigation into Trump’s campaign ties to Russia, Trump’s first impeachment for soliciting political favors from Ukraine and his second impeachment for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump called Schiff “one of the sleaziest politicians in history” and “one of the most disgusting human beings.”
“And to think he’s going to be a senator,” Trump said. “That’s why you need me as president, because this guy is a sleazebag. Adam Schiff to represent this area is impossible to believe.”
Schiff has consistently defended his work as standing up to a “corrupt president.” On Friday, he posted video of Trump making his fresh attacks and wrote, “I don’t think he likes me.”
By comparison, Trump called Garvey “a nice guy,” but also said that he doesn’t “know him at all.” He said he has not spoken to Garvey, but suggested Garvey should call him.
Associating too much with Trump could be viewed as a potential liability in California, where Democrats have a sizable advantage in voter registrations. That said, Trump retains strong support among Republicans in the state. Trump lost by nearly 2 to 1 in California in 2020, but still received 6 million votes.
Garvey has acknowledged voting for Trump repeatedly in the past, which Schiff has been happy to point out. But the Republican has tried to steer the Senate race away from Trump.
On Friday, Garvey said he is “running a ‘Steve Garvey’ campaign for all the people of California, not for partisan or special interests.”