Katie Porter Faces Declining Support in Governor Race

Former Representative Katie Porter is seeing a drop in her poll numbers as the competition to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom heats up.

Once a prominent figure in Orange County, Porter has fallen to 11% in a recent Emerson College poll, which was published on Thursday. This decline seems tied to a crowded primary field that now includes East Bay state Rep. Eric Swalwell and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer.

“With the entry of Mr. Swalwell, the Democratic vote is becoming more divided. Currently, around 20% favor Swalwell, while 17% support Porter,” said Spencer Kimball, Swalwell’s Executive Director. He added that Republican voters are choosing between Bianco and Hilton, who have 33% and 30%, respectively, while a significant portion of independents, about 45%, remain undecided.

Overall, California voters seem to have a negative view of Porter, who gained notoriety for her whiteboard presentations on serious subjects like income inequality. According to the poll, 30% hold a favorable opinion of her, while 34% view her unfavorably, and 37% have no opinion.

Despite initial support, a recent incident where Porter collapsed during an interview has brought negative attention. When asked about Trump supporters, she appeared irritated and threatened to end the interview, a moment that has drawn criticism. Former staffers have described her as “absolutely mean,” and an earlier clip of her yelling at an aide during a virtual meeting has resurfaced, further tainting her image.

Porter’s campaign has yet to provide a comment on these developments.

This incident certainly doesn’t bode well for Porter, particularly as Swalwell currently leads her by 12% among Democratic voters. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is trailing behind in third place at 5%, followed closely by Steyer and former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, both at 4%. A notable portion of 31% remains undecided.