California’s leading Gubernatorial Candidate and Gavin Newsom successor, Katie Porter, nearly stormed out of a recent CBS interview. In the high-stakes world of California’s 2026 gubernatorial race, where candidates are jockeying to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter has built a reputation as a sharp-tongued progressive firebrand. Known for her whiteboard-wielding congressional interrogations of corporate executives, Porter entered the race as a leading contender, backed by influential groups like EMILYs List and polling ahead of rivals such as former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Attorney General Xavier Becerra. But on Tuesday, newly released footage from a CBS News California Investigates interview threatened to tarnish that image, showing Porter in a heated exchange that nearly derailed the entire sit-down.
The interview, conducted last month by veteran reporter Julie Watts, was part of a series probing gubernatorial hopefuls on key issues like Proposition 50—a controversial redistricting plan aimed at preserving Democratic majorities in congressional maps. Porter, a law professor and Orange County Democrat who represented a swing district until her unsuccessful 2024 Senate bid against Adam Schiff, started off steadily, voicing support for Gov. Newsom’s redistricting proposal as a bulwark for democracy.
Tensions escalated, however, when Watts pivoted to a pointed question about electoral math in the nation’s most populous state: “What do you say to the 40 percent of California voters, who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?” The query referenced the roughly 40% of Golden State voters who backed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, a bloc that could prove pivotal in a competitive primary or general election.
Porter’s response was curt and combative. “How would I need them in order to win, Ma’am?” she shot back, her tone laced with irritation. As Watts pressed on—explaining that the question was standard for all candidates and underscoring the need to appeal beyond the Democratic base—Porter interrupted: “I don’t care… I have never had to do this before.” Visibly frustrated, she reached for her lapel microphone, declaring, “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m gonna call it. Thank you.” When Watts sought clarification—”You’re not gonna do the interview with us?”—Porter replied flatly, “Nope. Not like this, I’m not.” She added, almost pleading, “I don’t want this all on camera,” before pawing at the mic in an apparent bid to end the exchange.
Ultimately, cooler heads prevailed. After a brief standoff, Porter relented and completed the interview, reiterating her focus on leadership and dismissing the premise that she’d need Trump voters to secure victory in a state rated “solid Democratic” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “I’m running for governor because I’m a leader,” she insisted, emphasizing her record on consumer protections and economic inequality.
The clip, which surfaced online Tuesday, quickly went viral, drawing a torrent of backlash from across the political spectrum. Conservative outlets like RedState and Breitbart pounced, labeling Porter “full psycho” and questioning her temperament for leading the world’s fifth-largest economy. “Now imagine what she’s like when there aren’t cameras around,” tweeted conservative commentator Ali Alexander, echoing long-standing whispers from former staffers about Porter’s demanding style—allegations of bullying that have dogged her since her congressional days.
Even Democrats weren’t sparing her. Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya quipped on X, “Katie Porter would like to run the fifth largest economy in the world,” while former Schiff spokesperson Marisol Samayoa called it “a case study on what not to do in a press interview—and how not to dismiss voters.” Rival Villaraigosa piled on, tweeting, “We need a leader who will solve hard problems and answer simple questions.” Betting markets reflected the hit: Odds for Porter winning the governorship on Kalshi plummeted from 40% to 28% within hours, with Sen. Alex Padilla’s chances surging.
Porter’s defenders, however, see the dust-up as overblown. On Reddit’s r/California_Politics, some users praised her for refusing to “pander” to Trump supporters, arguing that in a deep-blue state, authenticity trumps broad appeal. “She answered clearly—she’s for Prop 50, isn’t going to pander to Trump voters, and doesn’t think she’ll need them to win in a bipartisan race,” one commenter noted. Porter herself has yet to issue a formal response, but her campaign’s emphasis on fighting for working families could help blunt the criticism among her progressive base.
As the 2026 primary looms—set for March 2026—this episode underscores the tightrope Porter must walk: channeling her fiery advocacy without alienating moderates or independents. In a field crowded with heavyweights like Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) and state Treasurer Fiona Ma (D), one testy interview won’t sink her bid. But it serves as a stark reminder that in politics, as in a courtroom cross-examination, composure can be the most persuasive exhibit. For Porter, aiming to become California’s first female governor, the real verdict lies with voters—not viral clips.
SOURCES:
Governor Candidate Katie Porter Tries to Storm Out of Interview After Raging at Reporter’s Trump Question
Katie Porter Tries to Storm Out of CBS Interview
Katie Porter Faces Backlash After Threatening to Walk Out of TV Interview – Newsweek
‘I Don’t Want This All on Camera’: California Democrat Flips Out, Tries to Storm Off Interview With Stunned Reporter
Katie Porter nearly storms out of CBS interview: ‘I don’t want all this on camera’
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