The past week’s resurfacing of video clips showing Democrat Katie Porter losing her cool is not a glitch — it’s a pattern voters deserve to see before deciding who should run the most populous state in the nation. Footage published by major outlets shows a once viral whiteboard warrior from Congress snapping at staffers and nearly walking out of a recent TV interview when pressed on basic questions about appealing to Trump supporters.
One clip reported by Politico captures Porter during a 2021 webinar with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, where she erupts at a staff member who wandered into the camera and shouts, “Get out of my f—ing shot,” then doubles down when corrected. That moment is stark because it directly contradicts the polished, populist fighter persona she sells to donors and late-night cable audiences.
Another widely shared incident involved a tense exchange during a local CBS interview in which Porter appeared flustered and threatened to leave when pressed on how she would win back voters who supported President Trump and navigate a competitive general election. The Associated Press and others have noted how that viral exchange revived criticism from within her own party and from rivals questioning whether she has the steadiness to be governor.
This isn’t an isolated déjà vu; Porter’s public record includes a string of headline-grabbing moments that played well on social media but poorly in moments that call for calm leadership. She rose to fame for theatrical congressional showdowns and her whiteboard shtick — useful for viral clips, less useful for the steady, detail-oriented work of running California. Voters tired of spectacle should ask whether flair without composure is the package they want for the governor’s mansion.
Porter’s path to a statewide ticket is already rocky: she failed in the recent Senate primary and drew criticism last year after a post-primary outburst about the election being “rigged by billionaires,” remarks that did not sit well with skeptical voters or would-be swing supporters. The new videos only reinforce concerns about temperament and judgment that Republicans will happily amplify as the campaign escalates.
Democrats now face a crowded primary with big names waiting in the wings, including the specter of a Kamala Harris entry that could upend the entire field. Porter’s fundraising and celebrity status may earn her headlines, but headlines don’t elect governors — discipline, clarity, and the ability to unite a fractious electorate do. If Harris jumps in, Porter’s video controversies will be an easy wedge for rivals inside and outside the party.
For conservatives watching, these clips are a reminder that character and composure matter more than viral moments and fundraising memos. Californians deserve to know whether a candidate who yells at staff and nearly storms off television interviews can be trusted to lead through wildfires, power outages, and economic strain. Hold her accountable now, before the next round of TV ads buries these inconvenient truths.
