California gubernatorial candidate and former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) reportedly faced a tense exchange with CBS News correspondent Julie Watts on Tuesday when asked about how she plans to appeal to the roughly 40 percent of state voters who supported President Trump.
The interaction, which aired as a sitdown interview, quickly went viral and raised questions about Porter’s ability to engage with the full electorate.
Watts asked, “What do you say to the 40 percent of California voters, who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?” Porter appeared taken aback and responded, “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” When pressed about her chances with the remaining 60 percent of voters, she said, “In a general election? Yes. If it is me versus a Republican, I think I will win the people who did not vote for Trump.”
The conversation became increasingly testy when Watts asked what Porter thought would happen in a matchup against another Democrat. Porter deflected, saying, “I don’t intend that to be the case,” and referenced her existing support and name recognition. She then expressed irritation as Watts continued to press her, labeling the questioning “unnecessarily argumentative.” Watts noted that other candidates in the race had been asked similar questions.
“I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m gonna call it. Thank you,” Porter said, turning away from the camera. When asked whether she would continue the interview, she replied, “Nope, not like this I’m not. Not with seven follow-ups to every question you ask,” adding that she was unconcerned that other candidates had been asked the same line of questioning.
The back-and-forth continued, with Porter saying, “I don’t want to have an unhappy experience with you, and I don’t want this all on camera.” The exchange drew attention as Porter leads the Democratic primary for governor, according to a University of California, Berkeley poll released in late August, which gave her 17 percent support in a crowded field.
Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was second with 10 percent support, while Democratic former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra received 9 percent.
Nine other candidates earned six percent or less. California’s nonpartisan primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
However, a large portion of voters—38 percent—remain undecided, more than double Porter’s support.
Two of Porter’s Democratic rivals weighed in on the interview. Becerra, in a post on X, wrote, “I’m not interested in excluding any vote. Every Californian deserves affordable health care, safe streets, a roof over their head and a living wage.” Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commented, “We need a leader who will solve hard problems and answer simple questions,” referencing Porter’s abrupt decision to end the interview.
Despite the controversy, the race is still rated “solid Democratic” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Yet Porter’s unwillingness to answer questions about Trump voters may underscore a broader challenge for her campaign: winning over a substantial share of the state’s electorate beyond her existing base.
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