Consumer Protection Attorney and Former Congresswoman Katie Porter Launches Campaign for California Governor

After First Running for Congress To Hold Trump Accountable, Katie Feels Same Call To Serve & Protect Californians Now

Porter: “What California needs now is a little bit of hope and a whole lot of grit… That’s why I am running for Governor.”

Campaign Also Releases Poll Showing Katie Is Clear Frontrunner Among Declared and Likely Democratic Candidates – Leading Dems and No Party Preference Voters By 28 Points

CALIFORNIA — Consumer protection attorney and former Congresswoman Katie Porter announced her candidacy for Governor of California in a video posted to her social media channels today. Called ‘Congress’ toughest questioner,’ Katie first ran for office in 2017 to hold Trump accountable. She feels that same call now to serve to stop him from hurting Californians.

Simultaneously, her campaign released a poll showing she is the clear Democratic frontrunner for announced and likely candidates in the race. The poll of Democrats and No Party Preference primary voters will show Porter winning a commanding 36 points with all other announced or likely Democratic candidates polling in single digits. Here is a link to the polling memo. 

“What California needs now is a little bit of hope and a whole lot of grit. Fresh blood and new ideas. Leaders with the backbone to fight for what’s right. That’s why I am running for Governor,” Katie says in her announcement video. “In Congress, I held the Trump Administration’s feet to the fire when they hurt Americans. As Governor, I won’t ever back down when Trump hurts Californians — whether he’s holding up disaster relief, attacking our rights or our communities, or screwing over working families to benefit himself and his cronies.”

In 2018, Katie flipped the congressional seat from red to blue and became the first Democrat to represent the area in 75 years. She served three terms in Congress, receiving national attention for taking on Trump administration officials who failed Californians. In March 2020, when we had few tools to address the pandemic, her dogged oversight of Trump’s CDC Director, with her whiteboard, secured free COVID testing for every American. She grilled Trump Administration officials over President Trump’s attempts to reward Big Oil companies, raise taxes on middle class homeowners, and take away health care from California families.

In Congress, Katie passed bills to stop corporate cheaters and strengthen disaster response. She wrote new laws that crack down on health insurers wrongfully denying care and save patients thousands of dollars from Big Pharma’s unreasonable price hikes. She also passed legislation that would raise firefighter pay and strengthen mental health treatment for first responders.

“As Governor, I’ll bring all voices to the table to hear new ideas no matter who they come from or what else we may agree or disagree on. I’ll work with anybody, and I’ll say no to anybody, because I have never been for sale. And I never will be,” Porter said in her announcement video.  “I’ve only ever been motivated by one thing — making Californians’ lives better. And I’ll go toe to toe with anyone who tries to hurt Californians. Because that’s what it means to have the courage to solve our toughest problems. To build on our progress. To fight for you. That’s the leadership that California deserves.” 

This year, Katie returned to teaching at the UC Irvine School of Law, where she is training a new generation of consumer advocates. As a UCI professor before going to Congress, Katie was appointed by then-Attorney General Kamala Harris to be California’s independent monitor of banks in a nationwide $25 billion mortgage settlement, helping families get back on their feet in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis.  Katie is a single mom of three kids and lives with her family in Irvine, California.

Californians can go to KatiePorter.com to learn more.

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