Central Valley Democrats are taking issue with Senate candidate Katie Porter, saying she has snubbed the region while the other candidates have made time to visit.
Porter, a Democratic Congresswoman from Irvine, is one of four candidates vying to replace longtime Sen. Diane Feinstein when she retires at the end of her term next year.
Driving the news: Porter was recently scheduled for a meet and greet with the Fresno County Young Democrats. Yet earlier this week the organization announced that the event was canceled.
- This is not the first time that Porter has pulled out of an event in the Central Valley.
- A source told The Sun that Porter was scheduled to visit Kern County for an event earlier in the year and backed out of that one as well.
- While Fresno County has missed out so far, Porter did do an event in Modesto in August and toured Kern County farms at the end of July.
State of play: Support from local Democrats in the Senate race looks to be focused on Rep. Adam Schiff (D–Burbank).
- Schiff first made a visit to the Fresno area in February and has made multiple repeat visits, including at Fresno City College in June for a Pride event.
- Schiff has also swung through Visalia and Bakersfield as part of his campaign.
- Rep. Jim Costa (D – Fresno) has endorsed Schiff, along with Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez and Fresno City Councilmembers Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza and Tyler Maxwell.
- Rep. Barbara Lee (D–Oakland), the other Democrat running for Feinstein’s seat, also made a stop in Fresno County for an event in July.
What they’re saying: “You don’t need a whiteboard to understand why turning your back on the Central Valley is a bad political move,” said a local Democratic operative. “Fool me once, fool me twice, but Katie thinks she can fool us three times and get away with it.”
