California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter stirred interest at the Super Bowl recently with a rather unusual entrance. During the event, she took a jab at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while enjoying a halftime show by the popular Latin artist Bad Bunny.
Porter shared a message on X, expressing her views: “Super Bowl PSA: Immigrant neighbors (and all Bad Bunny fans) are welcome in California,” highlighting her stance against ICE. She claimed that “armed, untrained federal agents harassing, kidnapping, and harming innocent people is not” acceptable.
In her post, she emphasized the need to remove ICE from California and called for accountability, even stating, “we need to abolish ICE.” This drew mixed reactions from both sides of the political spectrum.
Some Californians were quick to criticize her, stating things like, “you don’t speak for me,” expressing support for ICE’s actions in the state. Others went further, accusing her of prioritizing her interests over those of the community.
Despite Porter’s public denouncement of ICE’s presence at the Super Bowl, NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier confirmed that no ICE agents would be at Levi’s Stadium that Sunday, saying, “ICE enforcement activity is not planned, we are confident of that.”
Porter’s campaign has faced challenges since last year. A controversial video surfaced where she made a provocative statement about a staffer, raising eyebrows about her candidacy. Shortly after her rival, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, announced his own campaign, Porter sent out a dramatic message to her supporters, warning that they risked losing the governor’s office and potentially the U.S. House of Representatives.
She pointed out that California’s “jungle primary” in June might lead to a scenario where two Republicans could advance instead.
Interestingly, she wasn’t the only Democrat trying to connect with the Super Bowl audience. Governor Gavin Newsom joined in, making a playful jab at former President Trump while announcing “Bad Bunny Day” to coincide with the artist’s performance at the Super Bowl.
Newsom’s post humorously referenced his admiration for the Spanish language and the cultural significance of Bad Bunny in California, declaring that the day would celebrate the artist’s talent and appeal.
