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Katie Porter Apologizes at Sacramento Forum as Rivals Seize on Viral Videos

With no new polling, a large undecided electorate keeps the fallout hard to gauge.

Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., waves at supporters at an election night party, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Long Beach, Calif. Porter built a social media reputation by wielding a white board at congressional hearings, and that helped propelled her campaign for the Senate. But on Super Tuesday, the numbers didn’t add up for her in the primary and she’ll be out of a job in Washington come Jan.. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
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Overview

  • At a UC Student and Policy Center event, Porter said she could have handled recent incidents better and reiterated she apologized in real time to the staffer in the 2021 clip.
  • The controversy stems from a CBS Sacramento interview where she threatened to end the exchange and a Politico-published video showing her cursing at a staffer who entered a shot.
  • Former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa purchased airtime on the Sacramento CBS station to re-air the interview, and former state Controller Betty Yee urged Porter to drop out.
  • Some allies continue to back her, including Rep. Dave Min, while analysts note the Democratic establishment has not rallied to her defense.
  • Pre-clip surveys showed modest leads with many undecided voters, and analysts say the turbulence could invite potential entrants such as Sen. Alex Padilla, Tom Steyer or Rick Caruso if they see an opening.