Katie Porter, a candidate for California governor, became visibly upset during an interview and attempted to leave after being asked about President Trump, exclaiming, “I don’t want this all on camera.”
The former congresswoman, known for her fiery personality, previously made headlines for allegedly dumping hot mashed potatoes on her ex-husband. During her interview with CBS News correspondent Julie Watts, which took place in California last month, she was filmed trying to end the discussion.
The viral clip aired on Monday and showed Porter reacting strongly when asked how she would secure votes from Republicans as she campaigns to succeed the term-limited Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
Watts posed the question: “What do you say to the 40% of California voters, who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?”
Initially trying to maintain her composure, Porter insisted she could attract support and would seek to earn every vote. However, her patience soon wore thin.
“This seems unnecessarily confrontational. What is your question?” she snapped.
Watts countered, “Every other candidate has addressed this question. This isn’t confrontational.”
As Watts rephrased the same question, Porter began to remove her microphone.
“I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m calling it,” she declared.
“I want to engage in a nice, positive conversation… If every question leads to a new follow-up, we won’t progress.”
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Porter later added, “I don’t want this all recorded on camera,” and claimed, “I’ve never had to handle this before” — a statement some took as evidence of her lack of experience with confrontational interviews.
Julie Watts shared the three-minute interaction on X on Wednesday, linking to the complete segment, which included other gubernatorial candidates commenting on Newsom’s controversial mid-decade redistricting initiative.
The interview, filmed last month, reportedly continued for another 20 minutes according to Porter’s campaign.
At 51, Porter has earned a reputation for having a quick temper when things don’t go as she wishes.
In 2022, she was accused of bullying by a former aide after allegedly saying that the staffer had exposed her to COVID-19 due to in-person work during the pandemic.
The year before, she had criticized the Irvine Police Department as a “disgrace” in a text to the city’s mayor after officers arrested her then-boyfriend, Julian Willis, for allegedly assaulting a protester at a town hall meeting.
During the couple’s divorce proceedings in 2013, her ex-husband Matthew Hoffman claimed she often verbally abused him and once hurled “toys, books, and other items” at him, even pouring hot mashed potatoes on his head during a conflict.
Following her unsuccessful Senate campaign in 2024, Porter faced criticism from her fellow Democratic candidate Adam Schiff, who called her claims of “an attack from billionaires trying to manipulate this election” into question.
Before the Watts interview, Porter appeared to be leading in the California gubernatorial race, holding a 7-point advantage over her opponents in an open primary, as indicated by the latest RealClearPolitics poll.
“This behavior is characteristic of [Katie Porter]. No gubernatorial candidate should evade the press or treat them poorly — transparency is owed to the public,” stated state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond. “If she can’t handle basic queries from a reporter, how can she be expected to confront President Trump?”
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa added, “We need a leader capable of addressing complex challenges and handling straightforward questions.”
“I’m committed to including every voter,” Xavier Becerra, former Health and Human Services Secretary emphasized. “Every Californian deserves access to affordable healthcare, safe neighborhoods, stable housing, and a living wage.”
