Poll Shows Katie Porter Lagging in Gubernatorial Race

Former California Congresswoman Katie Porter is currently behind in the 2026 gubernatorial race, trailing Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco by six points, based on a recent poll by the Berkeley Institute of Government. Porter, who had been leading in polls since August, saw her support drop from 17% to 11%. Meanwhile, Bianco’s numbers increased from 10% to 13%. In the same survey, other Democratic candidates, including former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, didn’t garner more than 3% of support.

Becerra came in third with 8%, a slight decline from last month, while Republican Steve Hilton also rose to 8%. Additionally, 5% of respondents indicated they would favor another candidate, leaving a significant 44% of voters undecided.

In terms of favorability ratings, 23% of those surveyed held a positive view of Bianco, while 26% viewed him unfavorably, and 51% had no opinion. Porter’s favorability stood at 26%, with 33% rating her unfavorably and 41% remaining indifferent.

In light of these findings, Bianco expressed his views to a news outlet, stating that Californians “need a sheriff” and criticized Governor Gavin Newsom for misusing taxpayer funds. He elaborated, “Sacramento has more crime than any other city because Gavin Newsom and his supporters are stealing from Californians.” Bianco also commented on funding priorities, suggesting government resources are directed toward programs for illegal immigrants instead of supporting first responders and tax relief for families.

The poll’s timing coincided with a slew of negative media coverage surrounding Porter, including controversial interactions with reporters and former staff. One notable instance occurred on October 7 during an interview where she dismissed the importance of Trump voters for her campaign, cutting the discussion short. The following day, a past video resurfaced showing Porter losing her temper at staff during a conversation with the then-Energy Secretary.

Porter did not reply to inquiries for comment regarding these developments.

The IGS poll was conducted in English and Spanish from October 20 to 27, surveying 8,141 registered California voters. It utilized a stratified random sampling method, offering a margin of error of around ±2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.