# Porter’s temper Flares, Threatening Gubernatorial Bid
The emergence of two videos showing former Rep.Katie porter in an unfavorable light have cast a cloud over her gubernatorial prospects, feeding perceptions among some that the Irvine Democrat is thin-skinned and a short-tempered boss.How Porter responds in coming days could determine her viability in next year’s race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin newsom, according to both Democratic and Republican political strategists.
“Everyone’s had a bad day. Everyone’s done something that they wouldn’t want broadcast, right? you don’t want your worst boss moment, your worst employment moment, your worst personal moment, captured on camera,” said Christine Pelosi, a prominent Democratic activist from the Bay Area and a daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“I definately think that it’s a question of what comes next,” said Pelosi, who had endorsed Lt. Gov.Eleni Kounalakis before she dropped out of the race.
Porter,who has a narrow edge in polls in the 2026 governor’s race,came under scrutiny this week when a recording emerged of her brusquely threatening to end a television interview after growing increasingly irritated by the reporter’s questions.
After CBS reporter Julie Watts asked Porter what she would say to the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in 2024, the UC Irvine law professor responded that she didn’t need their support if she competed against a Republican in the November 2026 runoff election.
After Watts asked follow-up questions,Porter accused Watts of being “unnecessarily argumentative,” held up her hands toward the reporter’s face and later said,”I don’t want this all on camera.”
The next day, a 2021 video emerged of Porter berating a staffer who corrected her about electric vehicle facts she was discussing with a member of the Biden management. “Get out of my f- shot!” Porter said to the young woman after she came into view in the background of the videoconference. Porter’s comments in the video were first reported by Politico.
Porter did not respond to multiple interview requests. She put out a statement about the 2021 video, saying: “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their critically important work.”
Several Porter supporters voiced support for her after the videos went viral on social media and became the focus of national news coverage as well as programs such as “The view.”
“In this critical moment in our country,we don’t need to be polite,go along to get along,establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition,” wrote Peter Finn and Chris Griswold,co-chairs of Teamsters California,which h