| | | | |  | | By Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner | | | |  Republican Senate candidate Steve Garvey speaks to Lavelle Wright, 66, in Sacramento on Wednesday. | Lara Korte/POLITICO | THE BUZZ: WARM-UP SWINGS — Republican Senate candidate Steve Garvey is finally hitting the campaign trail, visiting homeless shelters across the state ahead of Monday night’s much-anticipated debate in Los Angeles, and opening himself to more scrutiny over his policy positions — or lack thereof. After nearly 15 years without a statewide win, Garvey’s candidacy for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat has given California Republicans a reason to hope. A recent POLITICO|Morning Consult Poll put him in a statistical dead heat for second place with Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, trailing behind frontrunner Rep. Adam Schiff. Since launching his campaign in October, the former Dodger has largely stayed out of the public eye, focused mostly on wooing donors, while his Democratic rivals have been touting endorsements and making public appearances. The former first baseman says he’s “running for all Calfornians,” but has shared few specifics about his plans for the office. Now, he’s just days away from facing off with three experienced politicians on a debate stage. On Wednesday, he made a stop in downtown Sacramento to tour some of the homeless encampments near 12th and North B streets. Over the din of passing cars and trucks, he strolled by tents, chatting with people sitting on sidewalks among scattered belongings, tarps and trash. Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness stood by his side as he spoke to reporters about his plans for the office. Homelessness and housing are consistently top issues for California voters, and Garvey said he wants to do a deeper dive on accountability for homelessness spending. When asked specifically what the federal government should do differently, he simply said, "I'll figure that out." His entrance into the race as a Republican received little fanfare last fall. But now, with his numbers trending upward, Garvey has found himself in Democrats’ crosshairs, and is sure to face harsher judgment on his public statements as the March 5 primary approaches. Garvey is relying on his celebrity to propel him to political relevance, and has, so far, been greeted positively on the campaign trail by fans who say they’re excited to support him on the ballot. But one Sacramento onlooker, business owner Richard Montoya, who said he doesn’t identify with either party, wasn’t impressed when he saw Garvey talking with homeless people on the sidewalk. “He’s a joke,” Montoya shouted from the front of his business, Doors & More. “Sorry dude, but you are. Go hit a baseball.” Garvey consultant Matt Shupe told us he “can’t win every game.” Maybe the baseball star will get a warmer reception in the Bay Area today, where he’s scheduled for another round of campaign stops. GOOD MORNING. Happy Thursday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. Now you can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts now. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on X — @DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte WHERE’S GAVIN? In Costa Mesa for a press conference about supportive housing for homeless people.
| | A message from CVS Health: Learn how we’re delivering the future of health care. More here. | | | |  | UNDER THE DOME | | |  Around 30 protestors demonstrated outside Assemblymember Kevin McCarty's mayoral campaign headquarters to oppose his bill to ban youth tackle football. | Eric He/POLITICO | SACKED — Assemblymember Kevin McCarty’s bill to ban youth tackle football is officially on hold after Gov. Gavin Newsom dashed any hopes of a signature earlier this week. McCarty was the hardest man to reach in Sacramento the day after the governor made the unusual choice to intervene early on his hotly debated bill. When the Sacramento Democrat did emerge in the late afternoon to reveal he was holding the proposal, he made it clear he wouldn’t be giving interviews. “I do look forward to the Governor’s invitation to work on ways to better protect our youngest athletes and keep them safe from repetitive head hits which can cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE),” McCarty said in a statement to POLITICO. Newsom’s unusual intervention was seen as an effort to stave off any unsavory headlines painting California Democrats as out-of-touch liberals. At least five other states, including New York, have tried and failed to pass similar legislation. More on the saga from our colleagues Eric He and Rachel Bluth. | | | | CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So, we have something cool for you: our California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Cut through the jargon and get the latest developments in California as lawmakers and industry leaders adapt to the changing climate. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | CRIME AND PUNISHMENT | | | | 
Defendant David DePape (left) testified last year in the federal trial against him in U.S. District Court in downtown San Francisco. | Courtroom artist Vicki Behringer | Courtroom artist Vicki Behringer | THE NEXT DEPAPE TRIAL — After several delays, the second trial for the man who attacked Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband is scheduled to start on March 1. Defendant David DePape was convicted last fall on federal kidnapping and assault charges after a jury found he acted in retaliation over Pelosi’s official duties. In 2022, DePape broke into the former House speaker’s home and bludgeoned her husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer. DePape has yet to be sentenced in the federal case, but San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is prosecuting him on separate state charges, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse. The trial date has been delayed for several reasons. Last week, a hearing was rescheduled after DePape, who remains in county jail, refused to appear in court on Jan. 12. A judge ordered DePape to attend a hearing on Wednesday, where he was escorted into the courtroom shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit. DePape’s public defender also requested to push back the date because he said the defense team still hasn't received transcripts from DePape’s federal trial. | | | | A message from CVS Health:   | | | | | ON THE HILL | | |  Former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP | NEW GUARANTEE — Two Californians are leading a new effort in Washington to provide a guaranteed monthly income to young adults exiting the foster care system. Long Beach Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income co-chair Michael Tubbs announced today a new federal program to provide $1,000 a month to young adults exiting foster care for five years. Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton, was named Newsom’s special adviser for economic mobility and opportunity in 2021. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar is a co-lead on the bill. The legislation builds on a pilot program Garcia launched as mayor of Long Beach to provide residents with a universal basic income. | | | | EXCITING EVENT OPPORTUNITY: The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, in collaboration with POLITICO and Unite America, hosts the Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics on January 30, 2024 at USC. Top experts from politics, government, media and academia will explore the upcoming election season as part of the following conversations: PRIMARY COLORS: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Beyond, NOVEMBER SHOWDOWN: Battle for the Presidency, TRUTH DECAY: Misinformation and Disinformation in Elections, RANKING REFORMS: The Cure for the Ills of Democracy Is More Democracy. Register to attend in person or virtually. | | | | | | | CAMPAIGN YEAR | | | | 
Oakland Rep. Barbara Lee. | Leigh Vogel/Getty Images | LEE’S BIG ENDORSEMENT — In what was described as an “extremely close call,” the editorial boards at McClatchy’s California papers —The Sacramento Bee, Fresno Bee, Modesto Bee, Merced Sun-Star and The Tribune in San Luis Obispo — endorsed Barbara Lee for Senate Wednesday morning. Californians can’t go wrong with any of the three Democrats, the editorial boards wrote, but Lee’s “independence, her perseverance in fighting for the underdog and her life experiences set her apart.” The papers were not as impressed with Republican Steve Garvey, whom they described as having “three strikes against him.” They noted he has no political experience, he has yet to articulate solid positions on major issues and, as far as electability goes, he is a Republican running in a deep blue state. MEMORY LANE — First Lady Jill Biden made a fundraising stop in San Francisco on Wednesday, speaking to donors at a home near Buena Vista Park. The event was hosted by Gretchen Sisson, a sociologist, and Andrew McCollum, a co-founder of Facebook. Biden humored the crowd with a story about how President Joe Biden — then a young senator — was so clean-cut when he showed up for their first date in the 1970s. “I was in college, so all the guys I dated were wearing bellbottoms and clogs and tie dye," she said. "When Joe came to the door, I opened the door and I took one look at his perfect suit and his leather loafers, and I thought, ‘Thank God, it’s only one date!’”
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Learn more. | | | | | TOP TALKERS | | BUSTED: Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Wednesday that his office has charged three people behind a major retail theft ring. The suspects are accused of stealing more than $650,000 worth of goods, including Chanel purses, cartoons of cigarettes and alcohol. (San Francisco Chronicle) PASSING THE CHECK: State Sen. David Min has introduced a bill that would tighten restrictions that block energy utilities from charging ratepayers for their lobbying costs. SoCalGas has come under fire for the practice. (The Sacramento Bee)
| | | PLAYBOOKERS | | | SPOTTED — At the Los Angeles Times’ celebration of political columnist George Skelton in downtown Sacramento last night: Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas; former Gov. Gray Davis; former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg; Former California Democratic Party Chair John Burton; Assemblymembers Devon Mathis, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Jacqui Irwin and Jim Wood; State Sens. Tom Umberg, Scott Wiener, Steve Glazer, Steve Padilla, and President pro Tem Toni Atkins; and former California Attorney General Bill Lockyer. PROUD GRANDMA — Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva announced that she will be a first-time grandma. The lawmaker, who is “beyond thrilled and excited,” tweeted pics from her daughter’s baby shower. Congrats! FLOCK OF FELLOWS — The Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics is announcing its spring 2024 resident fellows: Josh Gerstein, Kostas Bakoyannis, former Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Will Hurd, Alison King, Grisella M. Martinez and Erika Mouynes. Former Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards will be a visiting fellow. BIRTHDAYS — Lindsay Monaghan … (was Wednesday): Cody Decker CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here. Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
