Katie Porter
Overview
Katie Porter is a consumer protection attorney and law professor who built her career studying bankruptcy and financial regulation. She teaches at UC Irvine School of Law and worked under prominent consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren. Porter rose to national prominence after flipping a Republican-held Orange County congressional seat in 2018, becoming the first Democrat to represent the district in decades.
In Congress, Porter became known for: Aggressive oversight of corporate executives and federal officials, viral use of whiteboards to explain complex financial issues, and strong alignment with progressive economic policies. Katie is a single mother of three kids. She lives with her family in Irvine, California.
Why She's Running
Katie Porter is running to be a "watchdog governor"—someone who translates her national reputation for confronting powerful interests into state leadership focused on lowering costs, protecting rights, and restoring trust that government can work for everyday people.
Key Campaign Priorities
1. Affordability & Cost of Living
- Proposes eliminating state income taxes for households earning less than 100,000 annually
- Housing: Aims to address the housing crisis by reducing red tape and increasing construction to reduce costs
- Healthcare: Advocates for single payer healthcare and lowering costs for prescriptions
- Education: Making college years 3 and 4 at UC systems free to expand on previous administration free community college
2. Climate
- Expanding renewable clean energy
3. Revenue
- Implement a practical wealth tax to ensure wealthy pay their fair share to fund California needs
4. Childcare
- Strong advocate for implementing free access to childcare
Endorsements
Labor and Professional Organizations:
Political Assessment
Political Strengths
- Nationally recognized as a consumer watchdog
- Appeals to anti-corporate voters (Says she has never taken money from corporate PACs.)
- Communication skills: known for breaking down complex issues in accessible ways, viral moments have built strong grassroots following
- Proven electoral upset win: successfully flipped a historically Republican District
Political Weaknesses
- Concerns about her leadership style (particularly temperament, media interactions, and staff dynamics) have been raised across party lines. While she has acknowledged these issues, they may remain a political vulnerability.
- Balancing progressive appeal vs broader electorate: Must appeal to moderates, business community, and statewide voters
Congressional Voting Record
GovTrack
Missed Votes: "From Jan 2019 to Dec 2024, Porter missed 175 of 3,193 roll call votes, which is 5.5%." The median of representatives serving in Dec 2024 was 2.2%.
- April 2023 through March 2024: the percent of votes missed began rising, from 8.4% to as high as 18.3%. This coincided with her 2024 campaign for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Dianne Feinstein.
- November and December 2024: the percent of votes missed spiked to almost 65%. This coincided with the end of her term as U.S. Representative for California's 47th Congressional District. Not long after finishing her term, she announced her intent to run for governor in 2026.