Katie Porter goes viral for ‘unfortunate’ TV interview during California governor’s race

Things were looking up for Katie Porter’s bid to be California’s next governor.

In July, Kamala Harris decided not to run in next year’s contest, opening the door to lesser-known candidates. And Ms. Porter, a former congresswoman known for her sharp tongue on Capitol Hill, was the top-voted Democrat in a wide field hoping to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom of California when he leaves office.

But on Tuesday night, Ms. Porter went viral for all the wrong reasons after a video of her exchange with a local television reporter became a must-watch clip on the political scene. In the three-minute video, she dismissively dismissed a question suggesting she should contact Republicans and threatened to abandon the interview after becoming frustrated with several follow-ups.

Rivals from both parties used the interview to mix things up in what has so far been a very sleepy race.

The other Democratic candidates said Ms. Porter “thinks she’s already won,” “can’t answer basic questions” and that the gubernatorial race is “no place for tantrums.” An opponent asked him to withdraw from the race.

Megyn Kelly, the conservative commentator, called it “the most entertaining and unifying thing since Tiger King!” »

As of Wednesday afternoon, a video of the exchange posted by an Axios reporter had racked up two million views on X, far more than the original segment likely would have attracted.