Can California afford Katie Porter? Controversial Ex-Rep joins crowded governor’s race

Los Angeles, California – Former Democratic U.S. House member Katie Porter announced Tuesday that she will run for California governor in 2026, entering what is expected to be a competitive race.

Porter, known for her sharp questioning of corporate executives during congressional hearings—often with her signature whiteboard—positioned herself as a strong opponent of former President Donald Trump, vowing to push back against his policies if he returns to the White House.

“In Congress, I held the Trump administration’s feet to the fire when they hurt Americans,” Porter said in her campaign launch video. “As governor, I won’t ever back down when Trump hurts Californians—whether he’s holding up disaster relief, attacking our rights or our communities, or screwing over working families to benefit himself and his cronies.”

The race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom has already drawn a number of Democratic hopefuls, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. However, the field could be shaken up if former Vice President Kamala Harris decides to enter the race.

Harris, a former California attorney general and U.S. senator, has not ruled out a gubernatorial run. Porter, who has a long-standing relationship with Harris, has suggested she would step aside if the former vice president entered the contest. Harris appointed Porter as California’s independent bank monitor in 2012 during a multibillion-dollar mortgage settlement case.

“If Harris gets in the race, there are very few politicians who would want to take her on,” said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney. “She’d be likely to win the Democratic nomination, and Democrats are likely to win the governorship.”

Republican Challenges in a Deep-Blue State
While the governorship is expected to remain in Democratic hands, the race could still see challenges from the Republican side. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has already announced his candidacy, blaming Democratic leadership for California’s ongoing homelessness crisis and high housing costs.

Republicans have not won a statewide election in California since 2006, and the state’s open primary system—where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party—creates an unpredictable dynamic.

“Trump-aligned candidates could enter, or a self-funded outsider could shake up the field,” said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta. “These open primaries are hard to handicap.”

Porter, a progressive favorite, ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 but failed to advance past the primary, finishing behind now-Sen. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey. Following her loss, she sparked backlash by claiming that “billionaires spending millions” had “rigged” the election. Critics compared her remarks to Trump’s baseless election fraud claims. Porter later clarified that she did not doubt the integrity of California’s voting process but stood by her belief that powerful interests manipulated the race.

Since leaving Congress in January, Porter has resumed teaching at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law while continuing to raise funds for her political future. A consumer protection attorney before her time in Congress, she built her reputation as an aggressive watchdog against corporate misconduct.

In her announcement video, she tied her gubernatorial bid to her history of taking on powerful figures.

“I first ran for office to hold Trump accountable,” she said. “I feel that same call to serve now to stop him from hurting Californians.”