Former Rep. Katie Porter (D–Irvine) ended months of rumors on Tuesday and officially launched her campaign for California governor.
Porter joins a crowded field of Democrats hoping to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Driving the news: Porter served in Congress from 2019 to the beginning of this year, foregoing a run at reelection last year in order to run for the Senate.
- She failed to make it out of the primary, however, losing out to now-Sen. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey, who both received double the amount of votes that Porter did.
Zoom out: The race to be Newsom’s successor kicked off in 2023 when Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis announced her candidacy to California’s top job.
- Kounalakis was followed over the last two years by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee, former Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is the only Republican to have launched a campaign for governor so far.
What we’re watching: While Porter adds her name to the crowded field, many are waiting on a decision from former Vice President Kamala Harris.
- Multiple reports over the last week stated that Harris will make her decision by the end of the summer.
- Harris is already a favorite of the polls, which have her winning the race if she decides to jump in.
Flashback: Porter gained national fame for her use of a whiteboard during Congressional hearings while in office, but she also gained notoriety for comments she made after her loss to Schiff and Garvey last year.
- She posted on X that “an onslaught of billionaires” spent “millions to rig” the election.
- Porter later said she has never undermined the vote count and election process in California, saying her “rigged” comments meant the election was manipulated by dishonest means.
What she’s saying: “In Congress, I held the Trump administration’s feet to the fire when they hurt Americans,” Porter said. “As governor, I won’t ever back down when Trump hurts Californians — whether he’s holding up disaster relief, attacking our rights or our communities, or screwing over working families to benefit himself and his cronies.”
