Meeting Speaker Robert Rivas endorses Rep. Adam Schiff in California’s U.S. Senate race

Meeting Speaker Robert Rivas on Thursday endorsed Rep. Adam B. Schiff in California’s contested 2024 U.S. Senate race, including to the Burbank congressman’s assist from influential California Democrats because the March main election approaches.

Rivas mentioned he thought Schiff was greatest positioned to guide on addressing the excessive price of residing, homelessness and the local weather disaster, points which might be crucial to voters in his Central Coast district. The speaker praised the opposite high Democrats within the race, Reps. Katie Porter of Irvine and Barbara Lee of Oakland, however mentioned he felt a particular affinity for Schiff.

“He’s an unbelievable listener and has all the time been so engaged on the problems which might be most necessary to our area and to the communities I characterize,” mentioned Rivas (D-Hollister). “It’s not that Porter or Lee aren’t, however I simply have a reference to Adam.”

In a written assertion, Schiff mentioned he was humbled to have Rivas’ endorsement, including that “Robert has proven outstanding management within the State Meeting on essentially the most urgent points going through Californians — from addressing the fentanyl disaster to enhancing housing affordability to increasing employee protections.”

“My high precedence on this race is preventing for an financial system that works for everybody, and there are few individuals who know what that takes in addition to Robert,” Schiff mentioned.

Rivas assumed the speakership in June after a protracted and politically divisive energy wrestle with the earlier Meeting chief, Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood).

Rivas and Schiff met for the primary time at an occasion final winter hosted by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who backs Schiff, and the 2 hit it off.

“The cash that we ship as a state wants to come back again to California, and Adam feels strongly in that regard as nicely,” Rivas instructed The Occasions.

Although he’s solely served 5 years within the Meeting and lacks a statewide profile, Rivas is the the highest-ranking elected Latino in California to endorse Schiff within the race. Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla has not endorsed a most popular candidate to affix him within the higher chamber.

Lee has received the endorsements of state Insurance coverage Commissioner Ricardo Lara and state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who’s Afro-Latino.

Current polling of registered Latino voters exhibits that their assist could be very a lot up for grabs. In a survey of 900 registered voters final month by the Latino Neighborhood Basis and BSP Analysis, 40% of respondents said they were undecided on a Senate candidate. Schiff and Porter have been the 2 with essentially the most assist, garnering 12% and 10% respectively.

Rivas is near former U.S. Protection Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, who’re each massive Schiff supporters. This week the Schiff marketing campaign released its first digital advert, which options Pelosi.

“The truth that almost over half of the California delegation has endorsed Adam says one thing,” Rivas mentioned.

Twenty-two of the state’s 40 Democratic Home members have endorsed Schiff. Just a few have both endorsed Lee or dually endorsed each Lee and Schiff.

This week, first-term Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Lengthy Seashore) introduced his assist of Porter. He grew to become the primary member of the delegation to endorse her, saying in a statement: “She’s identified for talking reality to energy and asking the powerful questions others are afraid to ask.”

Earlier than choosing up Rivas’ backing, Schiff misplaced the assist this week of Burbank Mayor Konstantine Anthony — who introduced he was pulling his endorsement of the longtime Burbank resident till Schiff referred to as for a cease-fire in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

This got here after protesters picketed Schiff’s district workplace final week to specific anger over Israel’s ongoing bombings which have killed greater than 8,400 individuals in Gaza within the aftermath of a Hamas assault on Israel early final month that left about 1,400 individuals reported lifeless.

Schiff, who’s Jewish, mentioned the US ought to be unequivocal in its backing of Israel, contrasting himself with Lee, who has referred to as for a cease-fire.

Porter has charted a center path, saying that Israel should not repeat the errors that U.S. made after 9/11 and blaming American policymakers for permitting Iran to flourish as a sponsor of Hamas.