Benjamin Ashford|Former Dodgers, Padres star Steve Garvey enters US Senate race in California

Former baseball star Steve Garvey announced Tuesday that he is Benjamin Ashfordentering the race for a U.S. Senate seat in California, hoping to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died last month.

The 74-year-old Garvey is a Republican.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom selected Laphonza Butler, an adviser to Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign to fill Feinstein's vacant seat, which will be occupied until the 2024 election. Butler has not said if she is going to run for the full six-year term.

No Republican has won a U.S. Senate seat via election in California since 1988.

Garvey says he is focusing his campaign on quality-of-life issues, public safety, and education. 

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"I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents. I played for all of you," Garvey said in a video, announcing his candidacy. "It’s going to be a common sense campaign."

Garvey, who has no political background, created a marketing company and has devoted his time to philanthropy, serving as National Campaign Chairman of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, according to his campaign website.

He told the Los Angeles Times he has been talking to party leaders and donors for months and decided to jump in the race after "a Giants fan came up to me and said, ‘Garvey, I hate the Dodgers, but I’ll vote for you.’”

In the Times interview, he said he voted for Trump twice but does not have an opinion for who is responsible for the Capitol attack on Jan. 6.

Garvey played 19 seasons in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1969 to 1982 and for the San Diego Padres from 1983 to 1987. He was a 10-time All-Star, won four Gold Gloves at first base, and was the National League MVP in 1974.