Katie Porter Stands Firm on Bold Rhetoric, Criticizes GOP Opponent in Heated Exchange

Katie Porter, known for her strong stance against President Donald Trump, reiterated her disapproval during the California gubernatorial debate held on Tuesday night.

During the debate, which was moderated by Kaitlan Collins, Porter, a Democratic candidate and former Congresswoman, was questioned about a controversial fundraising email her campaign had sent out. The email prominently featured the subject line, “F*** Trump.”

The email further stated, “We’re going to kick Trump’s a** in November,” showcasing Porter’s aggressive campaign rhetoric.

Collins asked, “Will ‘F-Trump’ be your guiding principle in dealing with the president?” prompting Porter to respond.

After a lengthy answer, Porter firmly stated, “If he’s going to attack California, yeah, F him.”

Porter was one of seven candidates participating in the debate, which was broadcast on CNN. The panel included Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, along with fellow Democrats Tom Steyer, Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Porter has garnered between 8 and 20 percent across the five most recent polls in the gubernatorial race. Steyer and Becerra are neck and neck at the top of the field per most polls, with Hilton also near the top. Hilton also has the Trump endorsement.

In a 2025 interview, Porter famously rejected 40 percent of Californians who voted for Trump, approximately 6.1 million people, claiming that she did not need their support. 

The date of the California primary is less than a month away, set to be held on June 2nd. The top two voter-getters advance to the general election regardless of party.

In a later clash, Porter taunted GOP gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco – Riverside County’s sitting sheriff – telling him to ‘cowboy up, cupcake.’

Katie Zacharia, a California native who served as Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman under Trump, told The Daily Mail on Tuesday she was unsurprised by Porter’s outburst.

‘Nobody should be shocked by the level of vituperation that Katie Porter is willing to engage in to denigrate her opponents or the President of the United States, look how she treated her husband with scalding hot mashed potatoes and the abusive treatment of her staff,’ Zacharia said.

In an interview with CBS California reporter Julia Watts, Porter pushed back on questions about appealing to Trump voters and branded the tone of the exchange ‘unnecessarily argumentative.’

The now-viral clip saw Watts press Porter on Governor Gavin Newsom’s bid to redistrict California in Democrats’ favour, and what she would say to California Trump voters whom, Watts insisted, she would ‘need to win.’

Porter was having none of it. Furrowing her brow, she shot back: ‘How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?’

Watts stood her ground.

‘Unless you think you’re going to get 60 percent of the vote. You think you’ll get 60 percent? Everyone who did not vote for Trump will vote for you?’ the reporter pressed.

Porter laughed before replying: ‘If it is me versus a Republican? I think that I will win the people who did not vote for Trump.’

Watts then reminded Porter that California operates a jungle primary, in which candidates from all parties compete, with only the top two advancing to the general election, meaning Porter could yet face a fellow Democrat.

Porter’s latest ad pokes fun at her viral meltdown, but has also been panned online.

The California gubernatorial field was blown wide open after former Congressman Eric Swalwell quit the race in April following allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman who worked under him.

Cynthia Kaui, a GOP California politico, told the Daily Mail that ‘President Donald Trump’s endorsement [of Hilton] carries significant weight with Republican and NPP [No Party Preference] voters because he remains deeply popular with the conservative base.’

‘Sheriff Chad Bianco has also built a strong reputation throughout Riverside County and across California as a bold, courageous leader who stood firmly for his community during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Voters see him as someone willing to take principled stands under pressure, while Katie Porter continues to face criticism over allegations regarding the treatment of her staffers,’ Kaui added.

Steyer and Becerra have since risen to the top of the Democrat pack — with the contest raising the prospect that both general election finalists could come from the same party.

Candidates Antonio Villaraigosa, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Steve Hilton, Chad Bianco, Xavier Becerra and Matt Mahan gather for a group photograph during a commercial break at the gubernatorial debate for California governor held by CNN in Monterey Park, California, US, May 5, 2026

Steyer has been hammering Becerra with attack ads for weeks, but tonight’s CNN debate marks his first real opportunity to take that fight directly to the former health secretary on a national stage.

A new California Democratic Party poll showed Becerra leading Steyer by 6 points at 18 percent support. The showing is notable because the survey was conducted after Steyer’s ads began airing, suggesting the attacks have so far failed to dent Becerra’s standing.

Steyer has gone after Becerra on several fronts – his HHS tenure, a corruption scandal involving a former chief of staff (Becerra himself has not been implicated), and ties to oil industry money, but had conspicuously avoided direct confrontation during two previous televised debates.

Swalwell has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least five women, including a former staffer who alleged that Swalwell, who is married, raped her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent, in 2019 and 2024. She is one of four women who have made allegations against the Democrat.

Swalwell then announced he was suspending his campaign, saying he was ‘deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,’ while disputing what he called ‘false allegations’ against him.