Former Representative Katie Porter, a prominent candidate for the 2026 California gubernatorial election, generated significant discussion on Tuesday when video footage surfaced of her abruptly ending a television interview. The incident raised eyebrows among political analysts and constituents alike, particularly given her narrow lead in the polls.
The footage, captured during an interview with CBS Sacramento reporter Julie Watts, shows Porter, a Democrat, becoming visibly irritated when asked about her stance towards the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in the 2024 election. During the exchange, Watts inquired what Porter would say to those voters, to which the UC Irvine law professor replied that she didn't feel the need for their support if she was competing against a Republican in the November 2026 run-off election to succeed termed-out Governor Gavin Newsom.
As the interview progressed, Porter spoke about her experience winning a closely contested congressional seat in Orange County. However, her demeanor shifted as Watts pressed her with follow-up questions regarding her apparent dismissiveness of Trump supporters. "I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative. What is your question?" Porter responded, showing signs of frustration.
Watts defended her line of questioning, stating that she had posed similar inquiries to other candidates regarding Proposition 50, a redistricting ballot measure that Governor Newsom and fellow California Democrats introduced for the upcoming special election in November. Despite Porter's insistence that she seeks every vote, her irritation grew as the interview continued. “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” Porter declared, expressing her dissatisfaction with the direction of the conversation. “I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation… And if every question you’re going to make up a follow-up question, then we’re never going to get there.”
She later expressed concern about the interview being recorded, stating, “I don’t want this all on camera.” This moment prompted a flurry of commentary from political observers and her rivals in the Democratic primary for the upcoming gubernatorial race.
Porter, who previously gained national attention for her assertive questioning of corporate executives and her effective use of a whiteboard to clarify complex policy issues, is now facing scrutiny from her competitors. Her Democratic rivals quickly seized upon her comments, while strategists unaffiliated with any campaign expressed discomfort with her remarks. Elizabeth Ashford, a seasoned strategist who has worked with notable figures such as Governors Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris, weighed in, stating, "When you’re governor, you’re governor of everyone, not just the people in your party. It’s a bad look to say you don’t want or need votes from certain Californians, even those you really disagree with."
Despite the backlash, Ashford noted, “Even good candidates have bad nights. This was a miss for Katie, but not every interview is going to go great.” Porter, who previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 and returned to her role as a law professor, will undoubtedly need to navigate the fallout from this incident as she continues her campaign.
As the 2026 gubernatorial race heats up, Porter's ability to connect with a diverse electorate will be crucial for her success. How she addresses this interview misstep in the coming weeks could shape her political future in California.
