In a recent interview, Katie Porter, a former Democratic Representative from California, sidestepped questions regarding the existence of additional videos depicting her in heated exchanges with staffers.
Porter, who is vying to succeed Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, has come under fire following the release of footage showing her threatening to leave an interview and chastising her team. During the interview on "Inside California Politics," host Nikki Laurenzo pressed Porter on whether more such videos might emerge.
"Can voters be confident that there wont be another one of those videos that come to light?" Laurenzo inquired, referencing a clip where Porter was seen shouting at a staffer who inadvertently appeared on camera. Porter replied, "What I do know is that I could have done better in that situation."
Laurenzo persisted, "But thats not a no, so is there potentially another video that we are going to see?" Porter candidly responded, "Nikki, Im going to be honest with you. I know that video, and that video is several years ago, as you know, [I] apologized to the staffer; its super important to me and will continue to hold myself to do better."
As reported by the Daily Caller, the controversial video, dating back to 2021, captures a moment during a conversation with then-Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. A staffer inadvertently entered the frame, prompting Porter to exclaim, "Get out of my fucking shot!" The staffer attempted to correct Porter on a policy matter, to which she retorted, "You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot."
Adding to the scrutiny, Porter's ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman, has alleged in court documents from their 2013 divorce that she once dumped hot mashed potatoes on his head, alongside claims of verbal abuse. These allegations, reported by the Daily Mail, paint a troubling picture of Porter's past behavior.
Despite these controversies, Porter remains the leading candidate for the June 2026 open primary, with 18% support according to the RealClearPolling average. Her closest competitors, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News personality Steve Hilton, trail with 11% and 8.7% respectively.
Notably, these polling figures were compiled before the emergence of the videos depicting Porter's alleged outbursts.
As Porter navigates the political landscape, questions linger about her temperament and leadership style. Voters will ultimately decide whether these revelations impact her bid to become California's next governor.
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