Former Democratic congresswoman and failed Senate candidate Katie Porter on Tuesday announced her bid for the California governor’s office.
“What California needs now is a little bit of hope and a whole lot of grit, fresh blood and new ideas, leaders with the backbone to fight for what’s right,” Porter said in a video announcing her candidacy. “That’s why I am running for governor.”
Porter, 51, is the highest-profile Democrat so far to throw their hat in the ring to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, the New York Times reported. Seven other Democrats have entered the race, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former State Senator Toni Atkins, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Just four people have announced they would be running as a Republican candidate, though President Donald Trump’s Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell, has expressed interest in running, as has Caitlyn Jenner, who also ran for governor in 2021.
Porter stated that she would opposed Trump’s agenda while also somehow bringing a fresh perspective to the State Capitol, which has long been antithetical to Trump’s agenda.
In October 2024, the Berkeley IGS Poll found that of numerous potential governor candidates, Porter was the one whom voters most prefer, although 52% of respondents said they had no preference at the time.
Porter’s chances — as well as every other Democrats’ — largely depends on whether failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris jumps into the governor’s race. A spokesperson for Porter said she would drop out of the race if Harris decides to run, the Times reported.
While Porter may be high-profile in the state, she lost the race to replace the late California Senator Dianne Feinstein to then-Rep. Adam Schiff last year. Schiff, known for his wildly incorrect accusations during the Russia Hoax, and who was preemptively pardoned by former President Joe Biden, won the election in a landslide.
Porter claimed after losing that the primaries were rigged against her and was roundly mocked online for the claim, The Daily Wire reported.
“Here’s a Democrat who claims her election was ‘rigged,’ I’m certain the MSM will pound her for that,” former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said at the time. “You’re not allowed to say that — or does that apply to only one person?”
“She lost by 20 points, but is saying the election is rigged because she was out spent,” added CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski.
“I’ve lost races where my candidate got vastly outspent & once when some rich dude dumped 40 million on our head,” Democratic strategist and former Obama campaign official Steve Schale wrote on X. “It completely sucks. But can we stop trying to excuse every loss with the term ‘rig’ or ‘rigged?’ You lost, which I totally get just blows. But that’s all it is.”
During her time in the House, Porter faced allegations that she was abusive towards staff and used racist comments. Porter’s ex-husband made similar claims during their contentious divorce, alleging that Porter had verbally berated him and once dumped a bowl of “steaming hot” mashed potatoes on his scalp.
