Former Rep. Katie Porter, a Democratic candidate for California governor, grew visibly pissed off throughout an interview with CBS Sacramento after repeated questions on whether or not she would want help from Californians who voted for President Donald Trump.
In footage launched Monday, reporter Julie Watts requested Porter what she would say to the California voters who backed Trump within the 2024 presidential election.
“What do you say to the 40% of California voters who you’ll need in order to win who voted for Trump?” Watts requested.
“How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter replied, turning to the aspect and laughing. She went on to say that in a normal election towards a Republican, she believes she would win the individuals who didn’t vote for Trump.
When Watts pressed additional, asking what if she confronted one other Democrat as an alternative, Porter replied, “I don’t intend that to be the case,” including that she has “the support already in terms of name recognition, and so I’m going to do the very best I can to make sure that we get through this primary in a really strong position.”
In California’s open major system, all candidates — regardless of their celebration — seem on the identical poll, and the 2 with probably the most votes transfer on to the final election.
Porter mentioned she had beforehand received in a intently divided Orange County congressional district and will persuade conservative voters.
“I have stood on my own two feet and have won Republican votes before. That is not something every candidate in this race can say,” she continued.
When Watts adopted up, reminding Porter that she had simply mentioned she doesn’t want these Trump voters, Porter appeared irritated.
“I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative. What is your question?” Porter mentioned through the change.
Watts replied that she had posed the identical inquiries to different gubernatorial candidates.
“I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” Porter mentioned, taking concern with Watts asking a number of follow-up questions.
“I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation,” she mentioned. “And if every question you’re going to make up a follow-up question, then we’re never going to get there.”
“I have never had to do this before, ever,” Porter continued.
Porter’s marketing campaign mentioned the interview continued for one more 20 minutes after the change.
“I’m not interested in excluding any vote,” former U.S. Well being and Human Companies Secretary Xavier Becerra posted on X. “Every Californian deserves affordable health care, safe streets, a roof over their head and a living wage.”
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond referred to as on CBS and Watts to host a debate saying, “If you’re running for gov., then you should be available to answer tough questions from reporters.” In a separate submit, he added: “No candidate for governor should hide from the press or mistreat them — we owe it to the public to be transparent. If she can’t answer basic questions from a reporter, how can Californians expect her to stand up to President Trump?”
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa mentioned, “We need a leader who will solve hard problems and answer simple questions.”
Porter, a UC Irvine legislation professor, flipped a Republican-held congressional seat in Orange County in 2018 throughout a Democratic sweep that despatched solely Democrats to Washington that yr. She introduced her marketing campaign for governor in March after leaving Congress in January, following an unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid through which she completed third within the major behind Sen. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey.
