Democrat Adam Schiff, the California congressman who led Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, has won his campaign for US Senate.
In a state where Democratic voters decisively outnumber Republicans, Schiff cruised to victory ahead of his opponent, Republican Steve Garvey, a former Major League Baseball player with no political experience who had dodged questions about whether or not he would be voting for Trump.
During an acceptance speech in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, as the country anxiously awaited the results of the presidential race, Schiff pledged to be a champion for all Californians and defend “democracy and our freedoms”.
“California will continue to be at the forefront of progress, the bulwark of democracy, the champion of innovation and the protector of our rights and freedoms,” he said.
He urged supporters to be patient while votes are tallied across the US.
Meanwhile, Garvey conceded in a speech to supporters in southern California – and expressed disappointment he wouldn’t be a part of the chamber, the Los Angeles Times reported.
With 44% of precincts reporting Tuesday evening, Schiff had almost 60% of the vote while Garvey had just over 40% , according to the Associated Press.
In the primary this March, Schiff had already defeated two more progressive Democratic challengers, congresswomen Barbara Lee, who represented Oakland, and Katie Porter, who represented a swing district in right-leaning Orange county.
Schiff took first place in the primary as a Democrat who had pledged “unequivocal support” for Israel and rejected calls for a ceasefire. Protesters shouting “Let Gaza live!” and “Ceasefire now!” interrupted Schiff’s March primary victory speech.
Schiff will be filling the Senate seat that Dianne Feinstein held for 31 years, until her death at 90. Serving as a Democratic senator from California is not officially a lifetime appointment, but in practice, incumbents often serve for decades, making the role a particularly powerful one nationally and within the Democratic party.
In some ways, Schiff, a powerhouse campaign fundraiser, has already stepped into that leadership role. While Garvey made a last-minute effort to appeal to Latino voters with Spanish-language TV ads in the weeks before the election, Schiff was confident enough in his Senate win that he spent time campaigning with Democratic congressional candidates across the state, as well as stumping for Democrats in states such as Ohio and Florida.
Like Feinstein, Schiff is a more centrist Democrat, whose attempt to brand himself as a progressive during the primary was rejected by the Congressional Progressive caucus. His Senate campaign platform included support for abolishing the filibuster and the electoral college, as well as expanding the number of justices on the US supreme court.
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