Aspiring California Governor Katie Porter has admitted she is a bully as she showed yet another flash of impatience at a reporter.
The Democrat was ahead in the race to succeed Gavin Newsom before she went viral for her rude treatment of a journalist and her own staff members.
‘What I did to that staffer was wrong,’ Porter told FOX40 about footage that shows her cursing at a staffer during an on-camera appearance.
‘I’ve acknowledged it to her in that moment, and I’m acknowledging it now,’ Porter added, eager to move on from the topic.
Porter mentioned, “People who know me understand I can be strict, but I must improve on expressing gratitude for the incredible work my team accomplishes.”
Nevertheless, Porter exhibited another moment of impatience during her apology tour when journalist Nikki Laurenzo questioned her about the potential existence of more videos showing her mistreating others.
“I’m informing you as I have before – I am taking responsibility for this situation, and I will not retreat from standing up for California,” Porter replied.
‘From being tough – I don’t think this is a moment where the “same old same old” is going to cut it.’
Aspiring California Governor Katie Porter as admitted she ‘could have been better’ following a series of videos showing the Democrat berating others
Porter exhibited another moment of impatience during her apology tour as journalist Nikki Laurenzo questioned her about the potential existence of more videos showing her mistreating others.
Porter also addressed the newly-resurfaced videos for the first time on Tuesday in a Zoom call organized by Working Families Party.
‘I absolutely understood that I could have been better in those moments,’ she said in the Zoom meeting, according to The New York Times.
‘I’m going to hold myself to that standard, to do better and to acknowledge that I fell short.’
Recently, a clip from a TV interview went viral, depicting the progressive favorite, Porter, in a tense exchange with a reporter.
At one point, she threatened to walk out of the interview.
Shortly afterward, a video surfaced of a 2021 interview showing her loudly berating a staffer.
Following criticism from her Democratic adversaries and a surge of online ridicule, Porter displayed no intention to step down, as her campaign garnered supporters to aid her in weathering the backlash.
‘In this critical moment in our country we don’t need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition,’ said Teamsters California Co-Chairs Peter Finn and Chris Griswold, who endorsed Porter in September.
Porter also lashed out at an interviewer challenging the Democrat on her candidacy for governor
‘We need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.’
An unexpected word of support came from Whoopi Goldberg, who said on The View: ‘Some people apparently are surprised by these videos. I am not. We see these videos with… lots of different people.’
‘Human beings have bad days,’ Goldberg added.
It’s yet to be seen whether Porter suffers with voters. The primary isn’t until June, and the general election is in November 2026. But the unflattering videos are certain to encourage other potential candidates to give the wide-open, crowded race a look.
Democratic US Sen. Alex Padilla is among those who have not ruled out a run in the 2026 contest.
‘There are quite a few people looking at this field and saying, “There has got to be somebody better,”‘ said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta. ‘Potential candidates are watching, “How far does Porter fall?”
‘I think this whole thing is indicative of a race that is not catching fire,’ he added.
Porter – who became a social media celebrity by brandishing a white board at congressional hearings to dissect CEOs and break down complex figures into assaults on corporate greed – is probably the best-known candidate in a race that was bypassed by former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Porter is known for her potent small-dollar fundraising across the country.
Porter was caught on camera flipping out at a staffer for ‘getting in her shot’
The crowded field to replace outgoing Gov. Newsom includes former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Biden administration health secretary Xavier Becerra and former state controller Betty Yee, all Democrats, and Republicans Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator, and Chad Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff, among others.
