It’s a presidential election year, so that means California’s primary election is on “Super Tuesday” in March instead of June. But unless something dramatic befalls one of the frontrunners — former President Donald Trump and President Biden — that isn’t likely to be the most talked-about race in California leading up to March 5.
Instead, the focus is on the U.S. Senate race. The seat was filled by Dianne Feinstein from 1993 until her death last September. Then Sen. Laphonza Butler, the temporary replacement appointed by Newsom, shocked the political world by not trying to keep the job. Three big-name Democrats — U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff — are running, as are Republicans Eric Early and Steve Garvey, though Garvey is known in sports, not politics. The top two finishers, no matter their party, move on to the Nov. 5 general election.
What does a U.S. Senator for California do?
Senators represent their state’s interests in crafting federal laws and policies that govern our country. They must also:
- Parse dense legislation and policy proposals and pick key issues to make a mark.
- Vet the president’s judicial, cabinet and diplomatic appointees.
- Be patient because the Senate runs on seniority and new members can expect to have little power.
Why the U.S. Senate race is on your ballot twice
The first thing voters in the March 5 primary might notice is that they are being asked to cast two ballots for Senator: Voters will choose a senator for both a two-month term and the standard six-year term (beginning in January). Here’s the full list of candidates. And you won't find the current officeholder among them, which is highly unusual.
More Voter Guides
How to evaluate judges
- L.A. Superior Court: There are more than two dozen judges up for election or reelection.
- Judge ratings: Understanding how the L.A. County Bar Association evaluates judicial candidates — and how it can help you cast your vote.
Head to LAist's Voter Game Plan for guides to the rest of your ballot including:
- L.A. County Board of Supervisors: Three of the five seats are on the ballot.
- L.A. City Council: There are seven seats up for grabs.
- L.A. District Attorney: Meet the 12 candidates running to be the county's prosecutor.
- LAUSD: Four seats are open for a seat at the table.
- Prop. 1: Here's a closer look at the proposal at the center of a debate over how to best help people struggling with mental health, drug and alcohol issues.
The backstory: In September 2023, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein died, and Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to replace her. Newsom then called a special election, concurrent with the regular election, to fill the remainder of Feinstein’s term, which ends in January.
And Butler isn’t in the mix, deciding not to run. Keep reading for a closer look at the Top 5 candidates who are still in the race.
State of the race
Porter and Schiff appear to be the favorites, but Garvey, the Dodgers legend, could be a wild card as a Republican. Also making this a competitive race: Lee and Early. Keep reading for more on the top five candidates, including a look at where they stand on issues such as inflation. Their names appear in the order they do on the ballot.
Senators are elected to six-year terms, and there are no term limits. That’s why longtime Californians may recognize the same names on their ballots time and time again — our senators have tended to serve for quite a while. Feinstein, for example, had been in her seat for over 30 years. Former senator Barbara Boxer held her seat for 24 years, as did her predecessor, Alan Cranston.
Democrats have held both Senate seats for the past three decades. Our last full-term Republican senator was Pete Wilson, who left the seat in 1990 after being elected governor of California.
What’s on the agenda for the next term?
Along with the House, the Senate has to find solutions or relief measures for the big problems facing the country right now: inflation, high gas prices, the continued threat of climate change, fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Congress also has to figure out how to solve long-standing issues that have faced legislative impasses, like immigration reform, student debt relief, and paid family leave. And they’ll have to work with whoever winds up winning the presidency in 2024.
Rep. Katie Porter
47th District, Democrat
Background
Porter, 50, grew up on a farm in southern Iowa during the 1980s farm crisis. Her father was a farmer-turned-banker, and her mother co-founded the Fons and Porter’s Love of Quilting TV show. Porter graduated from Yale University with a degree in American studies and from law school at Harvard University. She interned at Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Grassley’s office and studied under now-U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts.
After practicing law for a few years, Porter turned to teaching bankruptcy law and consumer protection for more than a decade. Meanwhile, she led research efforts into bankruptcy cases, gave expert testimony and consulted for governments and mortgage servicing companies.
In 2018, she flipped a Republican congressional seat in Orange County and won attention for using a white board during congressional hearings to confront witnesses. Porter regularly touts her fight against corporate interests and introduced legislation on consumer protection and transparency in Congress.
But Porter has also faced controversy for her stock investments in companies scrutinized by consumer advocates, her corporation consulting stint and allegations of abuse from a former staffer, which she denied.
On the issues
Here's what Porter says about one of the most pressing issues facing Californians — Inflation.
Congress must crack down on price gouging. I’m proud a new law I wrote is finally penalizing Big Pharma for overcharging older adults. I also have a bill to hold Big Oil accountable for hiking prices to earn record-high profits. This legislation passed the House, but senators beholden to Big Oil blocked it. We need guardrails to prevent overcharging in the first place. Lack of consumer choice leads to higher prices, as corporations prioritize profits since they don’t have to compete for customers. Congress should boost competition by encouraging small and medium-sized business development and strengthening antitrust laws.
See her position and her fellow candidates' on more campaign topics — including immigration, criminal justice and climate change — at CalMatters.
Key endorsements
- National Union of Healthcare Workers
- California Communications Workers of America Union
- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren
We need a leader who acts to strengthen our democracy, showing that a grassroots army can defeat the powerful corporate interests that control Washington.
Fun fact
Porter became a beginner surfer in 2019. She said she went to a women’s surf school after being elected to Congress and is a fan of Big Corona Beach and the 19th Street in Newport Beach. Her favorite surf spot is the Pacific Beach in San Diego County.
Related news
- Porter hammers generational differences in California Senate race (SFChronicle.com)
- The race to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Los Angeles Times)
- Go deeper: CalMatters profiles Rep. Katie Porter
Steve Garvey
Republican, Professional Baseball Representative
Background
Garvey, 75, was born in Tampa, Florida. His father was a bus driver, and his mother a secretary in an insurance firm. As a child, Garvey was a bat boy for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers.
Garvey played football and baseball at Michigan State University before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969 and then the San Diego Padres in 1982. He retired in 1987 and still holds the fourth-longest consecutive game streak in MLB history.
He started a marketing firm, hosted radio shows and starred in TV series. He also helped fundraise for GOP candidates, including Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan. He became a motivational speaker, charging roughly $25,000 in at least one case.
But his post-baseball career was overshadowed partly by scandals, lawsuits and financial troubles — problems Garvey deemed his “midlife disaster.” In 1989, he was romantically involved with three women at once and impregnated two, both of whom sued. Garvey told courts repeatedly he was deep in debt and was late on payments large and small to his gardener, caterer and attorneys, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2006.
Garvey, who flirted with a U.S. Senate run as early as 1981, has promised not to restrict abortion rights, supports private investment in transitional housing for homeless people and pledges to fight “out-of-control inflation.” A two-time supporter of Donald Trump, Garvey has refused to express an opinion on the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
On the issues
Here's what Garvey says about one of the most pressing issues facing Californians — Inflation.
As a U.S. senator, reducing inflation would be my primary focus as it helps the affordability crisis facing so many hardworking families across California and the nation. A few ways to combat inflation are to oppose new federal spending, stand up to higher tax increases and regulations that will drive up the cost of living on everyday goods and services, and streamline burdensome regulations that can stifle economic growth and increase production costs. This also includes eliminating excessive regulations as it relates to new home construction.
See his position and his fellow candidates' on more campaign topics — including immigration, criminal justice and climate change — at CalMatters.
Key endorsement
- San Diego Police Officers Association
I think we need a new voice, fresh voice and fresh ideas in California, and I’m ready to step up to the plate. … My campaign is going to be based on common sense. It’s going to be based on compassion and building consensus.
Fun fact
Garvey played himself in cameo roles for several TV series during and after his baseball career, including one episode of “Fantasy Island,” one in the HBO show “Arli$$” and a couple in daytime soap operas “The Young and The Restless” and “The Bold and The Beautiful.”
Related news
- Dodgers legend, Senate candidate Steve Garvey’s child alleges ‘abandonment’ (Los Angeles Times)
- Go Deeper: CalMatters profiles Steve Garvey
Rep. Barbara Lee
12th District, Democrat
Background
Lee was born in 1946, the daughter of a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and a mother who worked at the Social Security Administration. Growing up in segregated El Paso, Texas, Lee attended Catholic schools instead of all-Black schools, as one of only two Black students.
Lee said she received a back-alley abortion in Mexico as a teen, later escaped a violent marriage and became a homeless single mom who took her two sons to class with her at Mills College in Oakland. She got a master’s degree in social work from the University of California Berkeley. She volunteered with the Black Panther Party and became active in politics, serving in the state Legislature for seven years until she won a special election in 1998 to replace her mentor, then-U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums.
In Congress, Lee is best known for being the lone vote against using military force in Afghanistan in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and voting often to withdraw troops from foreign countries. She also serves on the powerful House Budget and Appropriations committees. The progressive Democrat is advocating for universal free child care and federal cash assistance for low-income renters.
On the issues
Here's what Lee says about one of the most pressing issues facing Californians — Inflation.
My OLIGARCH Act will ensure that corporations and the 1% pay their fair share, while closing our country’s wealth gap, combating tax evasion, and holding billionaires accountable. A 95% tax on windfall profits of companies that bring in more than $500 million in revenue annually. Instead of lining the pockets of corporate executives, those dividends go toward responding directly to the needs of the American people. Slashing the bloated Defense budget and reinvesting the savings in our communities. My People Over Pentagon Act would redirect money from the Defense budget to healthcare, child care, and affordable housing.
See her position and her fellow candidates' on more campaign topics — including immigration, criminal justice and climate change — at CalMatters.
Key endorsements
- Reproductive Freedom for All
- Seven top statewide officials
- Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers
Every Californian has a chance to live the California American Dream here in California. I want to fight for your freedom because you know they are at risk.
Fun fact
Lee loves little dogs, especially golden doodles. Her granddog, “Mr. Buttons,” lives in Illinois.
Related news
- Go Deeper: CalMatters profiles Barbara Lee
- Where the 5 top candidates stand on immigration, the economy and crime (CalMatters)
Eric Early
Business owner and attorney, Republican
Background
Early, 65, is a Republican attorney who lives in Los Angeles with his wife, owner of a medical spa in Beverly Hills, and four children. He has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from New York University and a law degree from Southwestern Law School.
In the 1980s, Early worked in the entertainment industry, helping produce shows such as G.I. Joe, My Little Pony and The Transformers. He began his law career in the 1990s with a focus on business litigation. In 2021, he served as a legal counsel for the unsuccessful recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Early ran unsuccessfully, himself, against U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff in 2020 and for state Attorney General in both 2018 and 2022.
Early is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump. He supports requiring public schools to share curriculum with parents, hardening penalties for border crossings and excluding transgender youths from playing sports under the gender they identify with.
On the issues
Here's what Early says about one of the most pressing issues facing Californians — Inflation.
Stop reckless government spending. Unleash the nation’s domestic energy production: Drilling, fracking, mining, refining, nuclear. Slash the nation’s debt to Communist China based on the CCP’s involvement in the Pandemic and the multi-trillion dollars in harm it caused our nation.
See his position and his fellow candidates' on more campaign topics — including immigration, criminal justice and climate change — at CalMatters.
Key endorsements
- 11 county Republican parties
- College Republicans of America
- Republican Club of San Francisco
I’m running for all the forgotten Californians, all the forgotten Americans, and that crosses party lines. Frankly, there are tens of millions of people in this country and millions in California who feel that we have been left behind.
Fun fact
Early’s sister, Lisa Early, is a Democrat and director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Orlando, Florida. Early said they avoid talking politics “because the conversations usually don’t go well.”
Related news:
Go Deeper: Cal Matters profiles Eric Early
Meet The Candidates For California's Next U.S. Senator: Eric Early (Los Angeles Times)
Eric Early: California’s Senate debate should’ve included a true conservative, like me (The San Bernardino Sun)
Rep. Adam Schiff
30th District, Democrat
Background
Born in Massachusetts in 1960, Schiff settled in Alamo, California, with his father, a Democratic clothing salesman, and his mother, a Republican real estate agent. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Stanford University and a law degree from Harvard.
Schiff had a brief career in law after graduating, clerking for the judge who presided over the Pentagon Papers case and prosecuting a former federal agent for sharing secret intel with a Soviet Union spy for sex and cash.
Schiff ventured into California politics in 1996 as the youngest state senator at the time. In 2000, voters sent him to Congress. Starting as a member of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, the 63-year-old has rebranded himself as a progressive in recent years, vowing to improve housing affordability, protect labor rights and provide undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.
He hasn’t been immune from controversy: For years, Schiff has claimed primary residence for both his home in Potomac, Md., and a condo in Burbank, CNN reported. His spokesperson said he claimed both loan purposes, to distinguish them from vacation properties.
On the issues
Here's what Schiff says about one of the most pressing issues facing Californians — Inflation.
First, we must attack the increased cost of goods in each sector of our economy by addressing scarcity: Dramatically expanding our supply of affordable housing by increasing housing federal investments and tax credits, boosting the production of renewable sources of energy, expanding the number of healthcare professionals, and increasing the supply of affordable childcare. Second, we need to increase competition. Increased antitrust enforcement against consolidation will help bring prices down. Third, we must lower the costs of medicine by letting the government negotiate the prices of all prescription drugs, allowing the reimportation of prescription medication, and passing Medicare for All.
See his position and his fellow candidates' on more campaign topics — including immigration, criminal justice and climate change — at CalMatters.
Key endorsements
- Nine statewide unions
- U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi
- Los Angeles Times
California deserves a senator who is in the middle of the fight, who is taking on some of the toughest challenges. But California also deserves a senator who knows how to get things done.
Fun fact
Schiff is proud of his stand-up comedy efforts; for 15 years, he has performed at least one annual show at a Los Angeles-area comedy club. One time, he riffed on being a “nihilist.” Schiff said he writes his own material and tries to improve it. “You can tell when your material is landing,” he said.
Related news:
The earmarks Adam Schiff delivered for donors (Politico)
What you need to know from the high-stakes U.S. Senate debate (Cal Matters)
Follow the money
Go deeper on the issues
- US Senate debate: What you need to know (CalMatters)
- U.S. Senate candidates disagree on key issues (CalMatters)
- Where are the top U.S. Senate candidates raising their cash? (CalMatters)
- Where the 5 top candidates stand on immigration, the economy and crime (CalMatters)
LAist staff contributed to this report.
More Voter Guides
City of Los Angeles
- City Council: There are seven districts seats on this ballot: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14.
- Healthy Streets LA: Take a closer look at Measure HLA, aimed at making streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists — and holding the city accountable to do just that.
L.A. County
- Board of Supervisors: There are three districts on this ballot: 2, 4 and 5.
- District Attorney: Compare the 12 candidates running for District Attorney.
- Los Angeles Unified School District: Here's an overview of the challenges facing the district. Plus: Meet the candidates vying to represent your child's education in districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.
- The judiciary: There are more than two dozen judges up for election or reelection. Plus: Tips to make sure you're putting right person on the bench.
- County Central Committees: There are nearly 200 seats up for election for these committees, which govern L.A.'s political parties.
Overwhelmed? We have some shortcuts for you.
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Federal races
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