Katie Porter’s bid for California governor was already hanging by a thread.
But the latest polling numbers revealed something that left political watchers speechless.
And Katie Porter’s epic campaign meltdown just hit rock bottom in the most humiliating way possible.
Porter trails candidate who isn’t even running
CNN’s Harry Enten dropped some brutal news about Porter’s collapsing gubernatorial campaign that had Democrats scrambling for damage control.
The far-Left congresswoman’s support has cratered so dramatically that she’s now losing to someone who hasn’t even announced he’s running for governor.
"They have been heard around the world and I think that Katie Porter is making history because she has potentially annihilated her chances to be the next governor of California more so than any other candidate I’ve ever seen so quickly, my goodness gracious," Enten said on "Laura Coates Live."¹
Porter’s polling numbers tell the story of one of the most spectacular political collapses in recent memory.
Just three days ago, she was leading the pack at 40% in prediction markets for the California governor’s race.
By Thursday, her support had been sliced in half to a pathetic 16%.
Meanwhile, Democrat California Senator Alex Padilla – who isn’t even officially running for governor – shot up from 10% to 27% support.
That’s right: Porter is now trailing a guy who hasn’t bothered to throw his hat in the ring.
The internet searches for Porter have surged 10,000% compared to the previous week as Americans watched her campaign implode in real time.
But this wasn’t some random political accident – it was the inevitable result of Porter’s own toxic behavior finally catching up with her.
Viral videos expose Porter’s true character
The collapse started when viral footage surfaced of Porter completely losing it during what should have been a routine interview.
CBS News California’s Julie Watts asked Porter a perfectly reasonable question about how she planned to appeal to the 40% of Californians who voted for President Donald Trump.
Porter’s response was a masterclass in political incompetence.
"What I’m saying to you is that, I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m gonna call it, thank you … Nope, not like this. Not with seven follow-ups to every single question you’ve asked," Porter snapped at Watts.²
She continued her tantrum: "I don’t care, I don’t care. I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation [in] which you asked me about every issue on this list. And if every question, you’re gonna make up a follow-up question, we’re never going to get there. I’ve never had to do this before, ever. To end an interview."
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Think about that for a second.
A sitting congresswoman who wants to be governor of the nation’s largest state couldn’t handle basic follow-up questions from a reporter.
If Porter can’t deal with a local news interview, how exactly is she planning to handle the pressures of governing 40 million Californians?
But the interview meltdown was just the beginning.
Resurfaced video from 2021 showed Porter screaming at her own staff member who appeared behind her during a virtual event.
"Get out of [her] f***ing shot," Porter shouted at the staffer who was simply trying to help correct a statement she made about electric vehicles.³
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This wasn’t some momentary lapse in judgment – it was a window into how Porter really treats the people around her.
A pattern of abusive behavior emerges
Look, everyone has bad days, but the mounting evidence suggests Porter’s behavior problems run much deeper.
Court documents from her 2013 divorce painted a disturbing picture of someone with serious anger management issues.
Her ex-husband Matthew Hoffman alleged that Porter poured a bowl of "steaming hot mashed potatoes" over his head during an argument.⁴
The documents also claimed she would claw at him, leaving scratches on his arms, and wouldn’t allow him to have a cell phone because he was "too f***ing dumb to operate it."
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Staff abuse allegations have followed Porter throughout her political career, with reports of her using racial remarks and creating a toxic work environment.
For folks who work for a living, this kind of behavior from a boss is exactly what they’re trying to escape – not elect to higher office.
The California Democrat establishment is clearly reading the writing on the wall.
That’s why Alex Padilla’s stock is rising even without officially entering the race.
Padilla became a household name after he was tackled and handcuffed by federal agents when he tried to ask a question during Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles in June 2025 – the kind of dramatic confrontation with the Trump administration that plays well with the Democrat base.
What this really means for California politics
Here’s what Porter’s spectacular flameout tells you about the state of Democrat politics in California.
The party’s progressive wing thought they had their perfect candidate – a Harvard-trained lawyer with a reputation for taking on big corporations and banks.
Porter built her brand on viral moments during congressional hearings where she’d grill executives with her famous whiteboard presentations.
But when the bright lights got turned on her, voters discovered there was something deeply unpleasant lurking beneath that carefully crafted public persona.
The difference between performing for cameras in a controlled congressional hearing and dealing with the unpredictable pressures of a real campaign became crystal clear.
Porter couldn’t handle a basic question about appealing to Trump voters – in a state where millions of them live and vote.
Her response wasn’t to engage with the question or show some political skill – it was to have a meltdown and storm out.
That’s not leadership, that’s entitlement.
California Democrats are smart enough to know that nominating someone with Porter’s baggage would be political suicide, especially after the recall election that nearly sent Governor Gavin Newsom packing.
California may be deep blue, but even Democrat voters have limits on how much crazy they’ll tolerate from their politicians.
Here’s what other progressive darlings should learn from Porter’s spectacular flameout: going viral on TikTok doesn’t mean you’re ready for prime time.
You can fool some people with carefully staged congressional theater, but when the cameras are rolling and there’s no script, voters get to see who you really are.
And what they saw from Katie Porter wasn’t pretty.
¹ Harry Enten, CNN Political Data Reporter, "Laura Coates Live," CNN, October 10, 2025.
² Julie Watts, CBS News California Interview with Katie Porter, CBS, September 2025.
³ Katie Porter Virtual Event Staff Incident, Video Evidence, 2021.
⁴ Matthew Hoffman v. Katie Porter Divorce Court Documents, California Superior Court, 2013.
