The California GOP has its convention this weekend. Steve Garvey won’t be there

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GARVEY WILL SKIP CAGOP CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND

Via Nicole Nixon...

When California Republicans gather in Burlingame this weekend, their top-ticket candidate for a statewide office won’t be there to rub shoulders.

Senate hopeful Steve Garvey is not planning to attend the three-day convention, according to his campaign.

It’s unusual for major statewide candidates to miss gatherings of their party’s leaders and most faithful members, but Garvey has kept a low profile since launching his Senate campaign last fall. The former baseball star appears to favor smaller events and private fundraisers to large campaign functions.

“Steve Garvey has said since the launch of the campaign that he is running for all the people, not specifically for Republicans, Democrats, or Independents,” campaign manager Andy Gharakhani said in a statement. “Garvey has campaigned on a compassionate, common-sense message directly to voters, and not through traditional Republican or Democrat Party events.”

Gharakhani said Garvey’s campaign website “intentionally lacks an endorsement page as Steve Garvey will only be defined by Steve Garvey, not any political party, organization, or individual.”

The campaign, however, declined to share details about where Garvey will be this weekend.

The former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres player emerged from the March primary and will face Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff in November for California’s open Senate seat.

GOP delegates at this weekend’s convention are expected to hear a Saturday lunchtime speech from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has been floated as a potential running mate to former President Donald Trump. Noem, a culture war lightning rod, has been especially controversial lately after writing in her new book how she shot and killed her unruly dog.

Lara Trump, daughter-in-law to the former president and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, will also speak Saturday night.

FEW CALIFORNIANS AVAILED THEMSELVES OF BALLOT-TRACKING WEBSITE

Despite the California Secretary of State’s Office making it easier for voters to track their ballot online — using the BallotTrax web tool — relatively few actually did so, according to a new study published by the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and the Center for Inclusive Democracy.

The SOS Office began offering BallotTrax in the 2020 election cycle. Using that web tool, voters can see the status of their ballot, including whether it was accepted and counted or rejected. The program is available in all 58 California counties, and allows users to receive updates via email, text message or voice message.

Just 30% of primary election voters in 2022, and nearly 27% of general election voters, signed up to use the site and receive vote-by-mail updates, according to the study.

“BallotTrax was intended to build confidence in the vote-by-mail process, reassuring voters that their ballot was received and counted,” said Mindy Romero, director at the Center for Inclusive Democracy, in a statement. “But our research showed that many voters are not aware that the tool exists.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We are deeply concerned with the governor’s comments that more prison closures are not being planned due to proposed policies and initiatives that will fill California prisons. This is an alarming signal that the governor and our lawmakers are preparing to send California backward to an era of mass incarceration. Governor Newsom should do everything he can to stop the attempted roll back of Prop 47.”

- Emily Harris, co-director of programs for the Ella Baker Center, which advocates for shifting funds away from prisons and toward community reinvestment, in a statement.

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