California Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Katie Porter is facing fresh scrutiny after a video surfaced showing her verbally lashing out at a staffer during a virtual meeting with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. The clip, which quickly went viral on social media, has drawn criticism over Porter’s aggressive behavior and raised serious questions about whether she has the temperament to lead the nation’s most populous state.
In the video, Porter can be heard yelling, “Get out of my F—KING shot!…Stay out of my shot,” after a staffer corrected her on electric vehicle policy. The clip captures Porter’s frustration boiling over, as she further complained about feeling overlooked by the Biden White House despite raising significant campaign funds.
“You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot,” Porter snapped in the clip, which quickly drew widespread attention online. In response, the former congresswoman attempted damage control, insisting that she simply “holds myself and my staff to a high standard,” adding, “I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”
Porter also vented her frustrations at the White House, claiming, “Never been [to the White House]. Some of my colleagues (have been) three, four times… I don’t fit in the photo-op for some reason.” While Porter’s remarks sought to frame the outburst as a result of high expectations, critics on social media were unimpressed.
“Katie Porter’s staffers hate her so much that they’re now leaking clips of her outbursts to the press in light of her recent meltdown. This crazed woman is the frontrunner to replace Gavin Newsom as governor of our largest state,” one commentator wrote, reflecting widespread concern about her temperament.
Porter’s troubling behavior is not limited to her staff interactions. She recently clashed with CBS News reporter Julie Watts over questions regarding her appeal to Trump voters, displaying what many saw as an entitled and combative demeanor. When asked how she would reach the roughly 40 percent of Californians who voted for former President Trump, Porter shot back, “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?”
The interview quickly escalated. When asked about the possibility of two left-leaning candidates splitting the progressive vote, Porter snapped, “I don’t intend for that to be the case,” before erupting further when pressed with follow-up questions. She eventually told Watts, “I don’t want to keep doing this… Not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask. I don’t want to have an unhappy experience with you, and I don’t want this all on camera.”
Porter’s aggressive outbursts have prompted criticism from her political rivals. A spokesperson for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commented, “We need a governor who will work to solve hard problems and who is not afraid to answer simple questions. No candidate for governor should hide from the press or mistreat them — we owe it to the public to be transparent.”
The viral video and the CBS incident highlight a growing concern for Porter’s gubernatorial campaign: whether a candidate prone to temper tantrums and public meltdowns can effectively govern a state as diverse and complex as California. With voters increasingly focused on competence and leadership qualities, Porter’s public displays of anger could prove to be a significant liability.
As Porter continues her campaign, these episodes are likely to be used by critics as evidence that she lacks the emotional stability and temperament required to lead the nation’s largest state — a state already grappling with soaring crime rates, homelessness, and economic pressures. For now, Porter must navigate the fallout from these viral incidents while convincing Californians that she is fit to replace Gavin Newsom.
