After months of openly considering a run, former Rep. Katie Porter announced Tuesday that she is running for California governor to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Porter, a Democrat who represented Orange County in Congress for three terms, launched her campaign in a video posted to social media, casting herself as a fighter who will stand up to President Donald Trump and corporate interests.
“What California needs now is a little bit of hope and a whole lot of grit. Fresh blood and new ideas. Leaders with the backbone to fight for what’s right,” Porter said in the 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.”
Newsom is ineligible to run in 2026 due to term limits. His second and final term ends in January 2027, leaving the governor’s seat wide open in the next election. The primary is set for June 2, 2026, with the general election on Nov. 3.
Porter joins a field of seven candidates officially running to succeed Newsom, including Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. But a major wildcard in the governor’s race is former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is considering a run for California’s top post, as first reported by Politico. Her decision, expected by the end of summer, could dramatically reshape the field.
Porter will bow out of the race if Harris decides to run, a spokesperson confirmed to the New York Times.
Porter first won office in 2018, flipping a Republican-held congressional seat in Orange County as part of a Democratic sweep that sent only Democrats to Washington that year. She gained national recognition for her aggressive questioning of Trump administration officials and corporate executives, often using a whiteboard to break down complex issues.
“As governor, I’ll bring all voices to the table to hear new ideas no matter who they come from or what else we may agree or disagree on,” Porter said. “I’ve only ever been motivated by one thing: making Californians’ lives better. And I’ll go toe to toe with anyone who tries to hurt Californians.”
Since leaving Congress in January after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate, where she finished third in the primary behind Sen. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey, Porter has returned to UC Irvine Law, where she teaches bankruptcy, consumer law and the legislative process.
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