Former California congresswoman Katie Porter is attempting to press “reset” on her campaign for governor following a disastrous week that started with a video of a tense exchange with a journalist and then evolved into a broader critique of her temperament when another video surfaced.
Porter sat down for an exclusive interview with Inside California Politics host Nikki Laurenzo on Tuesday, where she expressed regret.
“When I look at those videos, I want people to know that I understand that I could have handled things better,” Porter said. “I think I’m known as someone who’s able to handle tough questions, who’s willing to answer questions, and I want people to know that I really value the incredible work that my staff can do.”
Porter’s readiness for California’s highest office came into question after a snippet of her interview with CBS reporter Julie Watts in Sacramento went viral last Wednesday. In it, the Orange County Democrat dismissed the notion that she needed to recruit Trump voters to win the gubernatorial race. Then, when pressed on her response, Porter threatened to walk out on the interview, calling the reporter’s questioning “unnecessarily argumentative.”
Porter said, “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” before ultimately deciding to continue with the interview.
Her opponents, both within and outside of her party, quickly pounced. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, part of a crowded field of declared candidates for governor, produced a three-minute campaign ad with the CBS interview that ended with Villaraigosa saying: “We need leaders who will solve hard problems and answer simple questions.”
Social media comments were also scathing.
Criticism of Porter became amplified when a video from 2021 emerged in which Porter shouted at a staffer to “Get out of my f—ing shot” during a Zoom interview with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Porter said she later apologized to the staffer.
“I will continue to try to hold myself to do better,” Porter told Laurenzo. “That’s what I can promise.”
Porter said she understood the backlash from voters but insisted her defiance and passion are strengths – not drawbacks.
“I’m going to be focused on earning their votes and earning their trust,” she said. “I am taking responsibility for this situation, and I’m also not going to back down from fighting back for California, from being tough. I don’t think this is a moment where the same old, same old, is going to cut it.”
In September, an Emerson College poll commissioned by Inside California Politics found Porter leading the race for governor with 16 percent support, followed by Republican political commentator Steve Hilton at 10 percent, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 8 percent, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra with 5%.
No polling has been released since last week’s upheaval.
Porter, a Harvard Law School graduate who served in Congress from 2019 to 2025, also drew criticism over comments she made after failing to advance to the general election in last year’s open U.S. Senate race. She claimed special interests tried to “rig” the election – a remark she later apologized for.
Despite the criticism from both within her party and the GOP, Porter still has supporters. Although, when asked specifically who, Porter couldn’t immediately recall.
Laurenzo: “Have you heard from any other Democrats? Have they reached out to you?”
Porter: “Yes, of course.”
Laurenzo: “Who has reached out to you?”
Porter: “Well, I couldn’t tell you off the top of my head, because I’ve gotten lots of text messages … as you might expect.”
Laurenzo: “What did they say? Words of support? Can you give me anything specific?”
Porter: “As you’ve seen publicly, many of the groups that support me, groups like the Teamsters, have said that they’re proud to stand with me, because they know I’m going to fight for California, that they know I’m going to be tough, that they think what’s needed is the level of strength of character in this moment.”
Indeed, both the Teamsters union and U.S. Rep. Dave Min, who holds Porter’s former Orange County seat, have expressed support.
“In this critical moment in our country, we don’t need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition,” said Teamsters California Co-Chairs Peter Finn and Chris Griswold. “We need strong leaders like Katie Porter who are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.”
The race for governor remains fluid as two potential heavyweights, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and billionaire developer Rick Caruso, have not yet announced if they will indeed run. The deadline to declare is March 6.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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