Rep. Adam Schiff campaigns in East Bay in race for late Sen. Feinstein's seat

OAKLAND, Calif. - Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff made a campaign stop in Oakland on Sunday.

The southern California lawmaker is facing off against former Major League Baseball player Steve Garvey in the race to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein of San Francisco.

"My view is run scared or run unopposed," Schiff, who runs District 30, which includes West Hollywood, told KTVU. "So, I’m running hard."

Schiff held a meet and greet with Asian American leaders at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center on Sunday, calling on the Justice Department to combat hate crimes against the Asian community, which Schiff said "prohibits people from feeling safe from going out of their house."

Garvey has campaigned on border security, crime, and says there’s no greater problem in California than the homeless crisis.

"It’s a big issue for us here in Oakland," said voter Ben Littlejohn of Oakland. "People talk a lot. I don’t really see them doing a whole lot."

Garvey wants to focus on mental health, addiction treatment, and affordable housing.

Schiff agrees and wants a renter tax credit, similar to what homeowners get.

"Unless we’re building hundreds of thousands of units of housing every year, we’re not going to solve this problem."

Public Policy Institute of California poll from June shows Schiff leading Garvey by a wide margin of 25 points among likely voters.

"Because I like the work that he’s been doing in Congress, you know, with the impeachment, and just, you know, working for democracy," said voter Brian Nervis of Pittsburg.

And it’s those high-profile impeachment hearings that give Schiff an advantage among democrats, according to KTVU political analyst Brian Sobel.

"Garvey’s campaign has not matured at all," said Sobel. "Steve Garvey, down the stretch, would really have to turn on the after-burners to cut into the Schiff lead."

As one of the first prominent California democrats to call on President Joe Biden to drop out of the race, Schiff told KTVU he has not spoken to the president since making last Sunday’s historic announcement not to seek a second term in the White House.

Garvey and Schiff won the top two spots in the March primary and will face off in November.         

Garvey’s campaign could not be reached for comment.