Katie Porter’s failed bid for governor is a loss for all Californians | Opinion
Former Rep. Katie Porter deserved better than the fate that befell her on Election Night; she was an excellent candidate to be governor of California with a command of the issues and an ability to express policy ideas that bested every other candidate running, including the three men still in contention.
Unlike former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Porter didn’t take corporate PAC money from the likes of Chevron.
And, unlike billionaire Tom Steyer, she could actually speak about affordability issues from the perspective of a single mom living the affordability crisis.
And yes, she could have been the first woman elected governor of California in nearly 180 years, but Porter had to concede defeat on Tuesday. Her campaign simply couldn’t gain traction. Instead, Democrats who couldn’t stomach Becerra as the establishment candidate, instead lined up behind Steyer, who put millions of his own money into his campaign and tearing down his opponents.
California is perhaps simply not ready to elect a woman governor. Is being tough, pugnacious and plainspoken a sin (so often forgiven in men) that she could never shake? I’ll always wonder, and be disappointed, that Porter couldn’t garner the support she needed at the right time to make a final push.
“It was a corporate-free campaign,” Porter said in her concession speech, which she posted to social media Tuesday night. “A campaign that took not one penny from corporations. It’s the only campaign that we can say that about in this race. That’s something to be really proud of.”
It’s a real shame; Porter is a genuine public servant for Californians, and she deserves a better legacy than being lumped in with the group of also-rans who should have dropped out months ago.
I’m proud to be part of a McClatchy editorial board that endorsed Porter, because we picked the best candidate for the job. Though she suffers from the same charge leveled against every woman in politics — that she can be unlikable — we believed she was the right choice for California.
In our interview with Porter, The Bee’s editorial board found she was obviously the best candidate for the job. She alone had the intellect, the understanding of the issues, the communication skills and the bravery that a California governor needs to succeed in 2026.
We also found her promise to get big money out of politics a compelling argument for her candidacy. But that will have to wait now, as the establishment’s candidate — Becerra — takes the lead. His gleeful acceptance of campaign donations from companies like Chevron, Meta, PG&E and Uber should lead Californians to believe pushing big money out of politics is at the very bottom of his to-do list.
Early on in the campaign, Porter garnered an unfair reputation of snapping at her staff thanks to a leaked video. It was perhaps the worst thing anyone could say about her; a hypocritical complaint to the extreme, given the current occupant of the Oval Office.
