Porter’s Democratic primary opponents all answered the same questions and mocked her chaotic performance
Democratic California gubernatorial hopeful Katie Porter threatened to leave an interview after being asked straightforward questions about President Donald Trump’s voters, saying she didn’t want “an unhappy experience.”
Footage circulated Tuesday showing CBS News correspondent Julie Watts asking Porter how the former congresswoman planned to win over Trump voters. The question sent Porter into a tailspin.
“How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter said, laughing.
“Unless you think you’re going to get 60 percent of the vote,” Watts pushed back. “Everybody who did not vote for Trump will vote for you—that’s what you’re saying?”
Porter argued she had enough star power to easily overcome her Democratic opponents and touted past victories that brought in Republican votes.
“But you just said you don’t need those Trump voters,” Watts said.
“You asked me if I needed them to win. I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative. What is your question?” Porter said, holding her palms up to Watts. Watts noted CBS News had asked the other gubernatorial candidates the same questions and clarified Porter said she didn’t need Trump voters to win.
Porter replied, “No, I’m saying I’m going to try to win every vote I can and what I’m saying to you is that—” then cut herself off, huffed, and raised her hands in exasperation. Watts tried to press forward, but Porter cut her off, turned, and said, “I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” and started removing her microphone.
“You’re not going to do the interview with us?” Watts asked.
“Nope, not like this I’m not,” Porter replied. “Not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask. I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation … and if every question you’re going to make up a follow-up question, we’re never going to get there.”
“I will continue to ask follow-up questions because that’s my job as a journalist,” Watts said.
“I don’t want to have an unhappy experience with you,” Porter said. “And I don’t want this all on camera.”
Porter’s primary opponents quickly went on the attack. Former California state controller Betty Yee accused her of throwing a “temper tantrum,” and businessman Stephen Cloobeck questioned “how the heck can she handle California?” Former California State Assembly speaker Tony Villaraigosa said California needs a leader who can “answer simple questions.”
Porter has long faced accusations of abusive behavior. Her ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman, accused her of verbally and physically abusing him. At one point, Porter dumped a pot of boiling mashed potatoes on Hoffman’s head, saying, “Can’t you read the fucking directions,” he alleged in a lawsuit.
Porter’s staff has also accused her of fostering a toxic workplace, alleging the Democrat made “rude and racist comments” to aides and “ridiculed people for reporting sexual harassment.”
When Porter came in third in her bid to win a California Senate seat, even after raising a whopping $28 million, she called the race “rigged” by billionaires. And as she announced her gubernatorial bid, Porter vowed she “won’t ever back down,” but said she’d step aside if former vice president Kamala Harris decided to run.
