As questions of temperament persist, Katie Porter tries to regain edge in governor's race
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In Congress, Katie Porter’s blunt, combative style helped rocket her to progressive stardom.It has also become her biggest vulnerability as she campaigns to be California’s next governor.Her brusque approach, prosecutorial instincts and suburban mom appeal fueled Porter’s rise during her three terms in the U.S.
House of Representatives, where she rattled CEOs and Trump administration leaders and batted away GOP challengers in a competitive Orange County district.Her tack, however, made her a polarizing force within her own party, where fidelity remains an essential currency of success and power.In Congress, Porter clashed with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and L.A.’s Rep.
Maxine Waters.The same rough edges that endeared Porter to many voters have also alienated some Democratic insiders and interest groups whose support could prove critical in the race to replace outgoing Gov.Gavin Newsom.“She came in [to the governor’s race] as an outsider, as a mom, as a fighter.
She wasn’t pulled into the establishment,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions.“I think that’s why she’s popular with voters, because they want somebody who’s going to fight, and sometimes that ruffles feathers.”In the campaign for governor, Porter, a single mother of three, has struggled to convert grassroots popularity into broader institutional support.
Even after former Rep.Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race amid allegations of sexual assault, she has yet to see a major surge in support or endorsements from Democratic power brokers.
California Democrat Xavier Becerra’s rapid rise in California’s race for governor made him a ripe and constant target during a combative nationally televised debate Tuesday evening.A pair of embarrassing videos continue to hang over her campaign.The videos, which surfaced in October, showed Porter yelling at...