California Senate candidates clash over Trump, Israel and more in harsh debate

California’s top U.S. Senate candidates blasted one another over homelessness, another Trump presidency, their views on the Israel-Hamas war, and nearly everything else in a spirited debate Monday.

The stakes in this battle, two weeks before ballots are mailed, were huge, and were obvious from the start. Former baseball star Steve Garvey, the only Republican on the stage, found himself the frequent target of the three Democrats. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, blasted away, not only at Garvey, but also at her Democratic rivals.

The race is too close to call. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, has a comfortable lead in polls and fundraising.

Porter has waged an aggressive campaign as a consumer advocate. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, is a progressive hero for her opposition to American involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. And Garvey, the one-time All-Star Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres first baseman, had surged into second in some polls.

They’re seeking to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the longtime Democratic stalwart who died in September. The two candidates who earn the most votes on March 5 will advance to the November general election.

Democrats Schiff, Porter and Lee have similar voting records and views on important party issues like abortion, immigration and homelessness. But they found room to fight over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, among other issues.

Garvey tried to win over voters in a deep-blue state by insisting he was fighting for all people, regardless of party, and refused to say if he would vote for former President Donald Trump.

Battle lines drawn

Lee and Schiff, both longtime House members, spent the night touting their congressional records, while Porter went on the attack.

She went after Garvey for being vague about his stance on a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and tore into him for refusing to reveal the presidential candidate he will support.

“Once a Dodger, always a Dodger,” Porter said. “... Ballots go out in six weeks. Mr. Garvey, this is not the minor leagues. Who will you vote for?”

Garvey, in a soft, deliberate tone, explained “when the time comes ... I will look at the two opponents, I will determine what they did, and at that time, I will make my choice.”

Porter also hit Lee and Schiff for talking about decades-long battles for affordable housing and universal health care without fully meeting their goals.

“These career politicians are talking about their fights 30 and 40 years ago for ‘Medicare for All,’ but where are we?” Porter said.

Schiff and Lee were both members of Congress when Obamacare, the most significant health care reform in decades, was written and passed in 2010.

“Some of us actually have done things, gotten things accomplished,” Schiff shot back. “And at the end of the day, what Californians want is not just more political talking points. They want someone who can deliver, someone who can get things done.”

Candidates on Israel-Hamas war

The three Democrats also showed their differing views over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. All three pushed for a two-state solution to the overall Israel-Palestine conflict, but they disagreed over the necessity of a cease-fire in the current fighting.

Lee argued for a cease-fire, saying the continued bloodshed is “counterproductive to Israel’s security” and could spiral into a regional war. She compared the conflict to lengthy wars the United States got into in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Killing 25,000 civilians — it’s catastrophic and will never lead to peace,” Lee said.

Schiff pushed against a cease-fire, saying, “Israel has to defend itself.”

“I don’t know how you can ask any nation to cease fire when their people are being held by a terrorist organization,” he said.

Porter said she wants to see a “bilateral, durable peace,” as as well as a release of hostages and resources to rebuild Gaza.

“Cease-fire is not a magic word,” Porter said. “You can’t say it and make it so. But we have to push as the United States as a world leader for us to get to a cease-fire and to avoid another forever war.”

Garvey’s politics

Garvey said he stands with Israel “yesterday, today and tomorrow, for whatever their needs are” and said it’s “naive” to think a two-state solution is possible.

The Republican, a political novice whose views are not well-known, used the night to lay out largely conservative talking points that still did not quite appear to provide a fully-realized philosophy.

Garvey pushed to ease the rate of inflation and reduce federal spending without saying exactly how he could do so in the Senate. However, he did firmly state he would not vote for a federal ban on abortion.

At one point, Garvey touted his recent visits to homeless encampments in Sacramento and other cities, criticizing the other candidates for not making similar trips. Lee called that statement “patronizing.”

“As someone who has been unsheltered, I cannot believe the way he described his walk and touching and being there with the homeless,” Lee said.

“You do that if you really care,” Garvey replied.

Playing the hits

All three Democrats took opportunities to recall the media moments that have made them famous.

Schiff brought up the two impeachments of Trump. The congressman’s leadership role as House Intelligence Committee chairman made him a hero to millions of anti-Trump cable television viewers. He repeatedly touted “going toe-to-toe” with Trump and called him the “gravest threat to our democracy in our history.”

Lee remembered being the only member of Congress to vote against authorizing the use of military force against Afghanistan in 2001 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It was an unpopular move at the time, but it has endeared her to Democrats since.

She said watching the United States’ involvement in those wars has informed her opinion on the need for a cease-fire in Gaza. Lee said those who don’t support a two-state solution “don’t believe in peace and security for Israel, nor for Palestine.”

Porter is known for using a white dry-erase board to stand up for consumers and take CEOs to task during congressional hearings. Corporate dominance was a major talking point for her throughout the night. Schiff, she maintained, is too close to corporate interests, a charge he denies.

“I was a consumer protection advocate,” Porter said of her pre-Congress career. “I took on greedy corporations and Washington officials asleep at the wheel. And what I saw then is what we all know now, which is that Washington is broken. Lobbyists and big corporations spend billions to make sure that their agenda is at the top of Washington, D.C. agenda.”

A close and expensive race

The Senate race is a tight and expensive one. A Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll in early January showed Schiff had the support of 21% of likely voters, with Porter close behind at 17%. Garvey was in third with 13% and Lee trailed with 9% The poll surveyed nearly 8,200 voters and had a 2% margin of error.

The competition will almost certainly end with another Democrat in the seat, since California is an overwhelmingly blue state.

The raise has grown to become one of the most expensive in the country. Schiff and Porter are among the party’s top fundraisers, and California is one of the country’s priciest media markets.

Schiff’s campaign told Fox 11 he ended the final quarter of 2023 with $35 million in cash on hand. Porter had $11.9 million as of Sept. 30, the last Federal Election Commission reporting deadline. Lee had $1.3 million from the same time period.

Porter has long had a substantial lead among younger voters, while Schiff wins with older Californians. An October Public Policy Institute of California poll showed Porter led Schiff 26% to 16% with voters under 45.

Schiff led Porter 24% to 13% with voters 45 and older.

The more recent Berkeley IGS poll continued this trend. Voters younger than 40 backed Porter, and those older than 50 supported Schiff.