Former Dodgers star Steve Garvey made his foray into the crowded U.S. Senate race official Tuesday morning, launching a bid as a Republican.
For Garvey, who played 14 seasons with the Dodgers before he finished with the San Diego Padres for five seasons, a move into the political arena isn’t much of a curveball. He’s advocated for fitness-related bills in Washington and considered a political career right after his retirement from baseball in 1987, though he was sidetracked by issues in his personal life for a while.
But Garvey says it’s the increased animosity in politics, “the bickering back and forth” among politicians, that made him finally take the plunge.
“All through these years, I’ve had this wonderful life, but I’ve always been interested in politics,” Garvey, 74, said in an interview ahead of the announcement.
“The last few years, I’ve been more and more concerned about what’s happening in our society and the quality of our life and the dysfunction of Washington,” said Garvey. “I’ve got to stand up if there’s a way to actually run and be heard, and I think there is.”
So he’s running, Garvey said, to bring “a fresh voice with fresh ideas” to represent California.
Garvey helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series four times and was one of the stars of their 1981 championship; he also led the Padres to their first World Series appearance in 1984. He was part of a Dodgers infield that remained together for a record 8 1/2 seasons, was a 10-time All-Star and was selected as the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1974.
During his career, especially his time with the Dodgers, few would’ve been shocked if he eventually ran for office. But the immaculate image he maintained for much of his career was shattered by revelations of multiple affairs, children he fathered, a rather public divorce and strained-at-best relationships with his first two children. He receded from the spotlight for a long time after…
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