California
California’s Senate primary could fell two prominent Democrats and elevate Republican Steve Garvey
LOS ANGELES — California’s Senate race was expected to be a three-way Democratic prizefight, but the possibility of a record-low turnout is elevating the chances of Republican Steve Garvey, a former baseball star, and could derail the congressional careers of two prominent progressives.
In a year headlined by a likely presidential rematch that many Americans are dreading, California voters thus far have been sluggish to return mail-in ballots that were sent to 22 million homes earlier this month. The relative trickle of ballots has tended to come from older, white, conservative-leaning homeowners, a sweet spot for Republicans such as Garvey, a one-time National League MVP who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres.
For months, Rep. Adam Schiff has had the fundraising and polling edge in a crowded Democratic field. Garvey’s ascent has imperiled the political prospects of Reps. Barbara Lee and Katie Porter. The top two finishers in the March 5 contest, regardless of party, advance to the general election in November in the liberal-leaning state.
“We’re at a real risk of losing,” Porter’s campaign warned in fundraising emails. Without more financial support, the plea went, “Katie is out of Congress for good.”
Schiff was a leading voice in the two impeachments of former President Donald Trump. Lee is a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Porter has drawn attention on social media with her sharp questioning of tech CEOs in Capitol Hill hearings.
After the death of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein in September, all three entered the race. Porter is leaving her swing district in Southern California as Democrats try to regain control of the House, where Republicans now hold a slim edge.
Presidential elections usually drive Democratic turnout in California, but that hasn’t been the case this year, with President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump on track for a second matchup in which both are viewed unfavorably by many voters.
“This is a low-interest, low-turnout kind of election cycle. That generally creates an electorate that is older, more conservative, whiter,” said Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc., a research firm that closely tracks voting trends and works with Democrats, independent candidates and academics.
While the dynamic could shift by the time primary voting ends, Mitchell said it’s possible that Garvey ends up with the highest total as the Democratic candidates splinter votes on the left.
“I don’t see a surge of Democratic turnout coming in the end, but there could be a surge of Republican voters in the end,” Mitchell said. He said that could be driven by those voters influenced by Trump’s unsupported claims of election fraud who will vote in-person rather than through the mail.
Schiff told reporters recently that he was concerned “for the sake of our democracy” about a low turnout. His campaign has sent 3 million texts and made over 50,000 phone calls to potential supporters so far.
Last spring, the race looked like it would revolve around Schiff, Porter and Lee, who are largely indistinguishable on policy but bring different backgrounds and styles to the contest. Garvey, after years of flirting with politics, entered the race in October and gave Republicans a recognizable name on the ballot. He retired from baseball nearly four decades ago, in 1987, and had to overcome the resurfacing of tawdry details about his private life, including having two children with women he wasn’t married to, that had undercut the clean-cut public persona he cultivated in his Dodger days.
A Republican hasn’t won a Senate race in California since 1988, and registered Democrats hold a 2-to-1 advantage over Republicans statewide.
In all, more than two dozen names will appear on the Senate ballot for the six-year term that begins next year. Many of those candidates are political unknowns.
The race was once anticipated as a showcase of Democratic rivalries on the party’s left wing. That never materialized.
Schiff emerged as the establishment pick with endorsements from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, most of California’s congressional delegation and former Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. His fundraising prowess — he had $35 million on hand at the end of the year — has allowed him to roll out a steady stream of TV and digital ads, backed by a barrage from supportive super political action committees.
According to data from media tracking firm AdImpact, Schiff’s campaign has had almost a 2-to-1 advertising advantage over his nearest rival, spending $28.2 million through Wednesday, followed by Porter at $14.6 million. Lee had $1.3 million in buys.
Porter’s campaign has accused Schiff and his supporters of running ads intentionally spotlighting Garvey to lift the former baseball star’s profile with Republicans, on the premise that having a GOP opponent would presumably be an easier match for Schiff in the fall.
“Garvey himself hasn’t run a single TV ad, but his name and face are all over California’s TVs thanks to this cynical play,” Porter’s campaign said in an email.
Porter, who presents herself as a suburban soccer mom out to protect the middle class, has warned that ”billionaires, establishment politicians and corporate special interests are trying to buy this race, and it looks like their plan might work.”
Schiff defends his ads and told reporters that Garvey has attacked him in debates and interviews. “I’m not going to ignore him.”
Lee, a longtime standard-bearer in the party’s progressive wing, has struggled to raise money. The lack of cash has left Lee, who has proposed a $50-an-hour federal minimum wage and was the only member of Congress to vote against authorizing military force after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, lagging in polling.
Democratic pollster Ben Tulchin calls Lee and Porter “iconic liberal stars,” but says Schiff’s financial advantage appears decisive.
Porter spent nearly $29 million to defend her district in coastal Orange County in 2022, while Schiff was running in a safe Democratic district.
“You have three talented, impressive Democrats running,” Tulchin said, “but only one can win.”
A plan to attack several Los Angeles-area businesses on New Year’s Eve was detailed, dangerous and already in motion, authorities said.
But as four people allegedly tied to an anti-government group gathered last week in the Mojave Desert to make and test several test bombs, FBI officials foiled the terror plot.
“They had everything they needed to make an operational bomb at that location,” First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli said at a news conference Monday morning. “We disrupted this terror plot before buildings were demolished or innocent people were killed.”
The four people were arrested on suspicion of plotting an attack that Essayli called “organized, sophisticated and extremely violent.” They were all tied to a radical faction of the Turtle Island Liberation Front called Order of the Black Lotus, which FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis called “a violent homegrown anti-government group.”
Officials wouldn’t say what buildings or businesses were planned to be targeted but Essayli said they were different “logistics centers” similar to ones that Amazon might have.
Officials said they believe that everyone involved in the planned attack has been arrested, though the investigation into the plot remains ongoing.
The four alleged conspirators, Audrey Carroll, Zachary Page, Dante Gaffield and Tina Lai, have been charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device, Essayli said.
“The subjects arrested envisioned planting backpacks with improvised explosive devices to be detonated at multiple locations in Southern California, targeting U.S. companies,” Davis said.
The plans the FBI uncovered also included follow-up attacks after the bombings, which included plans to target ICE agents and vehicles with pipe bombs, Essayli said.
Celebrated Filmmaker Rob Reiner, Wife Michele Singer Found Dead
Acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer found dead in their Brentwood home. The circumstances are under police investigation.
Celebrated actor, director, producer and activist Rob Reiner, whose work shaped American television and cinema for decades, has died at 78, according to Variety and TMZ. His death, alongside that of his wife, Michele Singer, 68, is under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department after the couple was found in their home in Brentwood, California.
A dedicated political activist, Reiner was slated to speak on Tuesday, Dec. 16, in Palm Springs, Calif., about his career and his book “A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap.”
Reiner, born March 6, 1947, in the Bronx, New York, grew up in the entertainment business − his father was comedy legend Carl Reiner and his mother, Estelle, was an actress. He became famous in his own right for his portrayal of Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the groundbreaking sitcom “All in the Family,” winning two Emmy Awards as Archie Bunker’s son-in-law.
Though he had dozens of acting credits to his name, he transitioned to directing and created beloved films including “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men” and “When Harry Met Sally …” He cast his mother as an extra in the rom-com classic for a scene at a New York deli where Meg Ryan faked an orgasm.
“First couple of times, she didn’t do it full out,” Reiner said of directing Ryan in the scene. “Finally, I sat across from Billy (Crystal). And I acted it for her. … And I’m pounding the table, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ And I’m realizing I’m having an orgasm in front of my mother, you know? There’s my mother over there.” His mother’s line – “I’ll have what she’s having” – became one of the most famous lines in film.
Similarly, his mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” was a part of the cultural landscape (and earned a spot in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry), with memorable songs like “Gimme Some Money.”
Reiner admitted that was the very reason “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” came to be: “We never got any money from the first movie, really,” Reiner said in an interview with USA TODAY earlier this year about his three stars, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. “Lots of people had the rights, and the four us had 10% each, and while it’s going to sound crazy, we only got like 82 cents apiece over the years, despite all the DVD and foreign sales. Call it creative accounting on steroids. So Harry said, ‘I’m going to sue to get the rights back,’ and though it took him years, he got it done.”
The sequel was largely improvised. “The fun thing for me was falling back with old friends,” he said. “You just start doing your thing with each other, Chris used to call it ‘schneedeling,’ and right away, we were schneedeling as if no time has gone by. You can’t beat that.”
Reiner was a progressive and outspoken voice in the Hollywood community, supporting issues including marriage equality and gun control. He was a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and advocated for social and political change. In 2006, his name was floated as a possible candidate for governor of California, but he decided not to run.
Reiner was slated to speak on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in Palm Springs at the historic Plaza Theatre about his career and his book “A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap.” Bruce Fessier, who covered entertainment for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs for four decades, was to moderate.
“I was preparing for my Q&A with Rob Reiner … when I heard two people had been murdered at his house in West L.A.,” Fessier said. “I felt like I knew him well.”
He had rewatched both “Spinal Tap” movies that afternoon and had also read his book in preparation.
“I prayed the victims weren’t Rob and his wife, Michele,” he said. When the deaths were confirmed, he cried “Why them? Rob was way more than a great film director and actor. He did so much good as a political activist. He was a renaissance man.”
Rob Reiner was married to actress and director Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981. During their marriage, Reiner adopted Marshall’s daughter, Tracy, who later became an actress.
In 1989, Reiner married Michele Singer, a photographer. Together they shared three children: Nick, Jake and Romy. Reiner often credited Michele with inspiring the happy ending of “When Harry Met Sally …,” which he was filming when they met.
Kate Franco, executive editor of The Desert Sun, contributed to this report.
California
De La Salle vs. Santa Margarita: live score, updates, highlights from California’s Open Division state championship bowl | Sporting News
MISSION VIEJO, California, Dec. 13 — The No. 7/SN No. 15 Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles ended a 14-year state championship drought Saturday night in a 47-13 romp past the No. 15/SN No. 25 De La Salle [Concord, CA] Spartans in California’s CIF Open Division state championship bowl.
While the win ended Santa Margarita’s drought, it prolonged De La Salle’s own dry spell in championship bowl games, extending the Spartan’s losing streak to eight games in these contests.
Santa Margarita is ranked as high as No. 4 in the country by three selectors (High School Football America, MaxPreps, and USA Today’s Super 25). In the High School Football America rankings, they’re ranked ahead of both the No. 1/SN No. 1 Buford [GA] Wolves and the No. 3/SN No. 5 Carrollton [GA] Trojans – two teams that will play for Georgia’s GHSA Class 6A championship on Tuesday night.
Whether the win over De La Salle can get the Eagles – who will finish the season with three losses at 11-3 – a share of the national title remains to be seen.
De La Salle, meanwhile, ends its season at 12-1.
WATCH ON THE NFHS NETWORK: No. 7/SN No. 15 Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles vs. No. 15/SN No. 25 De La Salle [Concord, CA] Spartans
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Refresh for updates
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End of the fourth quarter: Santa Margarita 47, De La Salle 13
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SANTA MARGARITA 47, DE LA SALLE 13
Santa Margarita gets a pick six to put capper on this one.
Siua Holani with finished touches on this one. 43-yard pick 6. Santa Margarita 47, De La Salle 13. 1:36 4Q. pic.twitter.com/VVVEN5bvr6
— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) December 14, 2025
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SANTA MARGARITA 41, DE LA SALLE 13
Johnson finds Gazzaniga for his second touchdown of the game. The tight end entered the game with two touchdown receptions all year, and he’s got two in the state title game.
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End of the third quarter: Santa Margarita 35, De La Salle 13
The first quarter is in the books, and it’s all Santa Margarita so far.
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SANTA MARGARITA 35, DE LA SALLE 13
De La Salle forces another turnover and converts it to points to give them a glimmer of hope that they can climb out of this deep hole.
Two forced De La Salle turnovers and two Jaden Jefferson touchdowns.
Jefferson is the state record holder in the 100-meter dash 💨
De La Salle cuts the Santa Margarita lead to 35-13 with 4:09 left in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/05dJ7Q9Mmy
— West Coast Preps (@westcoastpreps_) December 14, 2025
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The third quarter is under way, and to make matters worse for De La Salle, Santa Margarita is on offense first.
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End of the second quarter: Santa Margarita 35, De La Salle 7
The first quarter is in the books, and it’s all Santa Margarita so far.
Santa Margarita has been a different team offense since Mosley’s return around midseason. And they’re one half away from a state championship in Carson Palmer’s first year at the helm.
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SANTA MARGARITA 35, DE LA SALLE 7
Just over a minute to play in the first half, Mosley scores again on another short play, and then he adds the 2-point conversion. This feels like it’s over.
Trent Mosley finishes off the half with another touchdown. Also adds run for two-point conversion. 1:07 left. Santa Margarita 35, De La Salle 7. Complete domination. pic.twitter.com/hMsSsI0svB
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) December 14, 2025
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SANTA MARGARITA 27, DE LA SALLE 7
It’s Duce plus a deuce. Santa Margarita marches right back down the field after the Spartans’ touchdown, and Duce Smith carries it in for another touchdown. And even with the score by De La Salle, Santa Margarita still has its biggest lead of the night after converting the 2-point conversion. It’s Johnson to Ryan Clark on the extra two.
Jaion Smith TD. Two-point conversion good. Santa Margarita 27, De La Salle 7 pic.twitter.com/1zpn1ETZyW
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) December 14, 2025
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Santa Margarita into the red zone again.
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SANTA MARGARITA 19, DE LA SALLE 7
Helped along by the turnover and a couple of penalties, De La Salle’s offensive line shows some muscle in the trenches and they power their way down near the goal line where Jaden Jefferson carries it across. That felt like a must-score situation, and they get the touchdown. Now, can they stop Santa Margarita’s offense again?
Jaden Jefferson TD. Santa Margarita 19, De La Salle 7. 6:43 left in second. pic.twitter.com/QzsKMWP58i
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) December 14, 2025
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De La Salle gets its first real break. Mosley fumbles, and the Spartans pounce on it inside the Eagles’ 40. If they want to have any chance of staying in this game, they need to make the most of this short field.
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End of the first quarter: Santa Margarita 19, De La Salle 0
The first quarter is in the books, and it’s all Santa Margarita so far.
42 seconds left in first quarter. Santa Margarita 19, De La Salle. Luke Gazzaniga TD. About the only thing the Eagles need to work on are PATs. 1 for 3. pic.twitter.com/WA6IY0blgI
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) December 14, 2025
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SANTA MARGARITA 19, DE LA SALLE 0
Johnson finds Luke Gazzaniga on a wide-open post against a blown coverage. It’s too easy for the Eagles right now, and with their elite defense, it’s possible they’ve already scored enough to win this game.
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De La Salle with a quick three-and-out on offense, and they punt on a 4th-and-19. Mosley returns it inside De La Salle’s 35. This is already starting to look ugly.
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SANTA MARGARITA 13, DE LA SALLE 0
Trace Johnson finds Mosley with a short swing pass to the right side of the field, and the senior standout does his thing winding and weaving his way 34 yards through traffic before running over the final defender at the goal line. Again, the early feeling watching this is not good for De La Salle.
What a luxury.
Just get it to Trent Mosley and watch.
Santa Margarita 13, De La Salle 0 (missed PAT)pic.twitter.com/3cp3hBbUJ5
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) December 14, 2025
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Santa Margaria quickly approaching the red zone again.
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De La Salle puts together a good drive to get into position for a short field goal attempt. But it’s blocked by Santa Margarita, ending the scoring threat. If you’re a De La Salle fan, you’re encouraged by the offense being able to move against the Eagles. But combined with the defensive personal fouls on Santa Margarita’s first drive, you also get the feeling early that this could be a really tough night for the Spartans. It’s early, we’ll see how they rebound from the lost scoring opportunity.
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SANTA MARGARITA 7, DE LA SALLE 0
Helped along by a couple of personal foul penalties, Santa Margarita drives quickly on its first possession, scoring on a short run by Trent Mosley out of the Wildcat formation.
Tulane bound Trace Johnson and Griffin Brahm connect get in the red zone.
4⭐️ USC bound Trent Mosley then scores. He’s a freakish talent.
Santa Margarita up 7-0 on De La Salle with 8:00 left in the 1st pic.twitter.com/vpo2yvYp9R
— West Coast Preps (@westcoastpreps_) December 14, 2025
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Santa Margarita won the toss and deferred to the second half. De La Salle picks up one first down against this stout Eagles’ defense before being forced to punt.
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They’re under way in California! This is the final game of California’s high school football season.
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Coming soon!
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De La Salle vs. Santa Margarita start time
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
- Start time: 11 p.m. EST (8 p.m. PST local)
The game between De La Salle and Santa Margarita is being played at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California.
How can I watch De La Salle vs. Santa Margarita today?
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