Endorsement: Adam Schiff for the U.S. Senate
Schiff says he has a record of leadership and getting things done in Washington. (Video / Los Angeles Times Staff)
California voters are lucky this year. They have three strong contenders in the March primary for the U.S. Senate seat that was held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam B. Schiff, all Democrats, are smart, experienced, savvy members of the House who could represent California well in the Senate.
Schiff, however, stands out for his extraordinary leadership over the last several years in helping to protect the nation’s institutions, the rule of law and American democracy itself from former President Trump.
Given the increasingly authoritarian statements from Donald Trump, the possibility he could return to the White House and the Republican Party’s lockstep loyalty to him, the Senate needs Schiff, a battle-tested and thoughtful leader who has demonstrated he can rise to the moment.
The Times recommends Schiff to be California’s next senator.
The Times editorial board interviewed some of the leading candidates for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The conversations covered the economy, housing and how they would navigate Congressional dysfunction.
Over his nearly three-decade political career representing Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley communities, Schiff (D-Burbank) has been known as a staid, amiable legislator who digs into the details to come up with practical solutions and a reliable advocate for local needs. He served four years in the state Legislature before he was elected to the House in 2001. Before running for office, he was an assistant U.S. attorney and he never shed the methodical, controlled demeanor of a prosecutor.
Prior to Trump, “If you asked members of the House to identify who’s going to be a lightning rod for the other side, I don’t think anyone would have pointed to me,†Schiff quipped during an interview with the editorial board.
While the presidential contest will garner the most attention in 2024, there are many important races and measures on state and local ballots.
Yet, Schiff has become a frequent target for Trump supporters, perhaps because he has been such a serious and effective foil to the former president’s abuses of his office. As chair of the House Intelligence Committee between 2019 and 2023 (before he was removed from the committee last year by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy), Schiff led the first impeachment investigation of Trump for allegedly withholding military aid from Ukraine while pressuring the country’s leaders to announce an investigation into Joe Biden.
Schiff was the lead prosecutor in the Senate impeachment trial, deftly building the case that Trump abused the power of his office to benefit himself personally and then sought to stonewall Congress’ investigation. The GOP-controlled Senate acquitted the president, but not before Schiff made an emotional closing speech that even won begrudging praise from some Republicans.
California has lost its trailblazing senior senator, one of the rare congressional members who still believed in cordiality and cooperation.
Schiff was picked again in 2021 to investigate another assault on democratic norms. He served on the Jan. 6 committee, which painstakingly detailed the sprawling conspiracy by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election, culminating in rioters storming the U.S. Capitol to stop Congress from formally declaring Biden’s victory.
It’s no surprise that Schiff is so often tapped to take the lead in these high-profile efforts. Colleagues describe him as an incredibly intelligent and uniquely skilled communicator who can get to the core of an issue — a talent essential to mustering the support of fellow legislators and the public at large.
Moreover, he’s considered a team player, practiced in the art of compromise and someone who, despite the vilification from Trumpland, has the respect of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. That’s important for California. This is a big state with diverse regions that needs a senator committed to working with communities from the southern border to the sparsely populated counties in the north, whether red or blue, urban or rural.
Schiff, who has the support of more than 60% of the California House delegation, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seems the most ready to lead statewide.
Lee (D-Oakland) has served in Congress for 25 years and her career has been marked by her willingness to cast politically difficult votes, including being the one member to vote against the war in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack — a decision that looks wise in hindsight. She has shown admirable leadership on reproductive freedom and human rights issues, including marriage equality and LGBTQ+ protections and criminal justice reform, well before those positions became Democratic Party mainstays.
Porter (D-Irvine) was elected to the House in 2018 and quickly stood out for her ability to zero in on issues important to American consumers and for grilling corporate executives and government officials during oversight hearings. She’s been pragmatic, solutions-oriented and focused on making Congress and institutions serve the American public better.
Republicans in the race include former Dodger Steve Garvey and Los Angeles attorney Eric Early, a conservative and frequent candidate who ran for attorney general in 2022.
Garvey has no legislative experience and has never held public office. He declined an interview request from the editorial board, hasn’t participated in public candidate forums so far and his website offers platitudes rather than positions, such as saying he will “take a stand against out-of-control inflation†and “lead the charge to make sure our laws are followed.†The U.S. Senate is the major league of lawmaking. Why should Californians want a rookie to represent them?
Schiff is a proven leader and the natural choice to represent California in the U.S. Senate.
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