Candidates vying for California’s coveted vacant Senate seat will face off on Monday evening at the first debate of the contest. 

Four candidates — three Democrats and one Republican — will be onstage for the 9 p.m. EST Monday event, which will be held on the University of Southern California’s campus. Steve Garvey, the Republican former MLB star, is competing against Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Katie Porter (D-CA), and Barbara Lee (D-CA) for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) appointed Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) to the seat following Feinstein’s death in September. Butler announced weeks later that she wouldn’t seek a full term, ending speculation that she would enter the already crowded race for her seat. 

California operates with a “jungle primary” system, in which candidates from all parties compete to be one of two finalists in the general election. This year’s primary takes place on March 5. Given the state’s heavily blue tilt, there have been multiple instances in which two Democrats advanced to the general election.

Schiff has held a small but steady lead in the polls since last year and has a formidable $35 million war chest to fund an expensive campaign cycle. Porter, an impressive fundraiser herself, and Garvey, the former first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, have both trailed slightly behind Schiff, while Lee has often placed in fourth. 

Here are some things to expect at the first debate of the 2024 race:

Schiff and Lee trading barbs on Israel-Gaza war

Lee is revered by progressives for being the sole member of Congress to vote against the war authorization to invade Afghanistan, taken three days after the 9/11 attacks. The prominent anti-war activist has been vocal since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, setting up a geopolitical dispute on the campaign trail. 

Schiff, who is Jewish and a staunch pro-Israel voice, has vocally defended Israel’s right to defend itself and eliminate Hamas terrorists from Gaza. Porter, on the other hand, began backing a “lasting bilateral ceasefire,” which would be conditional on the return of hostages and Hamas relinquishing “operational control” of Gaza, in late December. 

While Porter’s statement criticized both Israeli and Hamas leaders, the statement cleared the way for Schiff to be the most pro-Israel Democrat in the contest. Garvey has also said he opposes a ceasefire, though as a Republican, that is hardly controversial. 

The different stances on Israel’s war in Gaza have highlighted a major foreign policy difference between the three candidates and is likely to come up at Monday’s showdown. 

Who targets whom in fight for second-place primary finish

While Schiff has maintained his steady lead, Garvey has booted Porter from the second-place slot in several recent polls.

Porter, who will need to finish in the top two to advance to the general election, will have to be strategic about who she goes after, as will Schiff, with both not wanting to alienate each other’s respective supporters ahead of November. 

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This could mean that Schiff takes a noncombative approach onstage. It could also mean he takes the gloves off and shows he’s a fighter. The same goes for Porter, who will have to decide whether to target Schiff or Garvey or focus on presenting herself as the best candidate. 

Lee is likely looking for a breakout moment at Monday’s debate to help boost her sluggish poll numbers. Going after her foreign policy disputes with Schiff is one way she could target the front-runner, though she could also target his handling of crime as a former prosecutor and her differences with all the candidates on solutions to the migrant crisis.