NOTE: the weekly-frame-cover-img-container Grid Row block is HIDDEN on mobile devices and only visible on desktop; while the first actual photo and caption (below the intro) are HIDDEN on desktop and only visible on mobile devices.
Senate candidates spar at Bovard
Contenders for the late Senator Feinstein’s seat debated Trump, the Middle East and healthcare Monday night.
By CJ HADDAD & NICHOLAS CORRAL
In anticipation of the March primary that will send the top two contenders to the Nov. 5 general election, the debate featured the top four polling candidates in the race: Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee, and former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey. (Ana Hunter / Daily Trojan)
Candidates for the California Senate seat held by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein traded jabs about Donald Trump, housing policies and the Israel-Hamas war Monday night at Bovard Auditorium in a debate jointly hosted by the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, Fox 11 and POLITICO.
In anticipation of the March primary that will send the top two contenders to the Nov. 5 general election, the night’s event featured the top four polling candidates in the race: Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee, and former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey. Debate moderators, Fox 11 anchor Elex Michaelson and senior political reporter at POLITICO Melanie Mason opened the evening, the latter describing the candidate field as “the most competitive race for U.S. Senate that California has seen in decades.”
Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.
Early in the debate, the candidates attempted to draw distinctions between their positions on the Israel-Hamas war. Lee highlighted her 2001 opposition to the use of military force following Sept. 11, saying she predicted a larger spiral of violence following the attacks then, and sees the same occurring in the Middle East today.
Immediately following the Oct. 7 attack, she called for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“I said then and I’m saying now: ‘It could spiral out of control,’” Lee said. “We do not have a path to Israel’s security, nor do we have a path to a Palestinian state.”
Schiff said he supported Israel’s right to self-defense as well as a two-state solution; Garvey said “I stand with Israel yesterday, today and tomorrow,” but said he did not believe a two-state solution was immediately possible. Porter took a position between the two other Democrats on stage expressing support for a “lasting bilateral ceasefire” — in which both Israel and Hamas suspend fighting — with conditions including release of all hostages and an end to Hamas’ control of Gaza.
During Schiff’s answer, he said that “[Israel] has a duty to defend itself and I think the United States should support Israel in defending itself. We also should work with Israel to reduce the number of civilian casualties.”
An audience member poses a question at the first California Senate debate in Bovard Auditorium. (Ana Hunter / Daily Trojan)
The candidates also highlighted divides on their position on earmarks — funding grants demanded by legislators for projects in their districts — if elected.
Early in the debate, Porter said she favored an end to congressional earmarks, alleging California received less funding than it should receive because of this process. Lee, Garvey and Schiff said they favored earmarks as an essential part of delivering for constituents.
“It would really be a dereliction of my duty to my constituents if I did not fight for every single dollar that I could find,” Lee said. “[Earmarking] may not solve all the problems, but it sure has filled in the gaps.”
When asked what the specific alternative should be for getting what she called a “California-sized share of federal dollars” if earmarks were to be banned, Porter pointed to the normal congressional appropriations process as the way forward.
“[Appropriations] is about looking at the size of our population, the challenges that we face. Look, California only gets two senators,” Porter said in an interview with the Daily Trojan after the debate. “A system that is about per person getting pet projects, per career politician getting pet projects is always going to shortchange California.”
(Ana Hunter / Daily Trojan)
Journalists circle Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff in the media room following the California Senate debate in Bovard Auditorium Monday evening. (Ana Hunter / Daily Trojan)
These small differences can play an important role in California’s heavily Democratic electorate. Sara Stienecker, a junior majoring in political science and president of the Trojan Democrats, said around half of her fellow club members are still undecided on their votes in the primary.
“Yes, all three candidates support the same issue[s],” Stienecker said. “But when you get into the finer details, you can see how they plan to get those things done and that those details only really come out when on a debate stage.”
Candidates also discussed the impact of a hypothetical second Trump presidency on the U.S.’ military readiness. All three Democrats said a second Trump presidency would pose a danger. Lee and Schiff both highlighted that Garvey voted for Trump in both 2016 and 2020 and criticized his ambiguity on potentially voting for Trump again in November.
“Mr. Garvey, you won’t tell the public that you support this man again — you voted for him twice. You saw what he did on January 6th. You have to see what a threat he is to the country,” Schiff said. “I can understand you don’t want to alienate [the] ‘MAGA’ world by saying you’re against him, but you also won’t stand up to him.”
Garvey said his opponents were using identity politics to mischaracterize him and paint him into a corner.
“When the time comes … I will look at the two candidates,” Garvey said. “I will determine what [the Presidential candidates] did and, at that time, I will make my choice.”
Audience members react as Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Steve Garvey debate in Bovard Auditorium. (Ana Hunter / Daily Trojan).
The candidates further scuffled in their discussion about homelessness and housing policy when Garvey said he met with unhoused individuals across California to “touch them and listen to them,” with Lee objecting to Garvey’s description.
“So patronizing — and I’ve just got to say, as somebody who’s been in a shelter, I cannot believe how he described his walk and touching,” Lee said.
Later on, the three Democrats discussed a need to build more affordable housing. Lee expressed her support for a national eviction policy, Porter said she is in favor of low-cost eviction prevention policies and Garvey would implement an audit of federal housing funds.
Candidates also spoke about national abortion laws, immigration policies and pathways to citizenship, the Biden administration’s economic policies and the directions to go to combat climate change.
In an interview with the Daily Trojan following the debate, Lee described legislation that would make living in California more affordable.
“We have to raise wages and we have to make sure that we pass the [Protecting the Right to Organize Act], and in the Senate, I will do that. Our labor unions deserve to be able to feel free to organize wherever they work,” Lee said. “I support the labor union movement and also the Green New Deal — transferring into the green economy is [going to] provide many millions of jobs.”
Correction: A previous version of this story failed to include that the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future co-hosted the first debate for California’s senate race with Fox 11 Los Angeles and POLITICO Monday night. The Daily Trojan regrets this error.
