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Katie Porter addresses viral videos
Her rivals in the 2026 governor’s race have criticized her, with some suggesting the exchange shows she is unfit for the job.
LOS ANGELES - Former Congresswoman Katie Porter is addressing recent concerns about her campaign for California governor after two videos showing her in heated exchanges with a journalist and a staffer went viral.
The backstory:
In one of the videos, Porter became agitated with a Sacramento TV reporter and nearly cut the interview short after she was asked a series of follow-up questions.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Katie Porter's heated exchange with journalist goes viral: 'I don't want all this on camera'
"I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative. What is your question?" Porter said after being pressed on her need to appeal to President Donald Trump voters.
"I don't want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it," she said before clapping her hands and attempting to leave.
She later added, "I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation. … If every question you’re going to make up a follow-up question, then we’re never going to get there and we are just going to circle around."
When asked if she would continue to answer questions, Porter responded, "I don’t want this all on camera."
Porter's campaign later stated that the interview continued for 20 minutes after the tense exchange.
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In the other viral video as reported by Politico in 2021, Porter snapped at a staffer to "Get out of my f****ng shot!" after the person entered the video frame behind Porter. She also scolded the staffer for having appeared in the background before.
"You were in my shot before that," Porter said. "Stay out of my shot."
Porter said she has since apologized to that staff member.
Fellow gubernatorial candidate Betty Yee has repeatedly called for Porter to step down from the race.
What they're saying:
"When I look at those videos, I want people to know that I understand that I could have handled things better," Porter said on the "Inside California Politics" show. "I think I’m known as someone who’s able to handle tough questions, who’s willing to answer questions, and I want people to know that I really value the incredible work that my staff can do."
"I think people who know me know I can be tough, but I need to do a better job expressing appreciation for the amazing work that my team does," she added.
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"I think if people are looking for someone who is going to sit in Sacramento quietly and kind of rubber-stamp things, that’s not me. But I absolutely could have handled things better," she also said.
The Source: This report is based on viral videos of Katie Porter's exchanges with a journalist and a staffer. The direct quotes from Porter are taken from an interview on the "Inside California Politics" show. Additional context about one of the videos is attributed to Politico.